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8/12/2019 The Gypsies of Spain http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-gypsies-of-spain 1/173 The Zincali - An Account of the Gypsies of Spain PREFACE IT is with some diffidence that the author ventures to offer the  present work to the public. The greater part of it has been written under ver peculiar circumstances! such as are not in general deemed at all favourable for literar composition" at considerable intervals! during a  period of nearl five ears passed in #pain $ in moments snatched from more important pursuits $ chiefl in ventas and posadas! whilst wandering through the countr in the arduous and unthankful task of distributing the %ospel among its children. &wing to the causes above stated! he is aware that his work must not unfre'uentl appear somewhat dis(ointed and unconnected! and the stle rude and unpolished" he has! nevertheless! permitted the tree to remain where he felled it! having! indeed! subse'uentl en(oed too little leisure to make much effectual alteration. At the same time he flatters himself that the work is not destitute of certain 'ualifications to entitle it to approbation. The author)s ac'uaintance with the %ps race in general dates from a ver earl period of his life! which considerabl facilitated his intercourse with the Peninsular portion! to the elucidation of whose histor and character the present volumes are more  particularl devoted. *hatever he has asserted! is less the result of reading than of close observation! he having long since come to the conclusion that the %psies are not a people to be studied in  books! or at least in such books as he believes have hitherto been written concerning them. Throughout he has dealt more in facts than in theories! of which he is in general no friend. True it is! that no race in the world affords! in man points! a more e+tensive field for theor and con(ecture than the %psies! who are certainl a ver msterious  people come from some distant land! no mortal knows wh! and who made their first appearance in Europe at a dark period! when events were not so accuratel recorded as at the present time. ,ut if he has avoided as much as possible touching upon sub(ects which must alwas! to a certain e+tent! remain shrouded in obscurit- for e+ample! the! original state and condition of the %psies! and the causes which first brought them into Europe- he has stated what the are at the present da! what he knows them to  be from a close scrutin of their was and habits! for which!  perhaps! no one ever en(oed better opportunities- and he has! moreover! given $ not a few words culled e+pressl for the purpose of supporting a theor! but one entire dialect of their language! collected with much trouble and difficult- and to this he humbl calls the attention of the learned! who! b comparing it with certain languages! ma decide as to the countries in which the %psies have lived or travelled. *ith respect to the %ps rhmes in the second volume! he wishes to

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The Zincali - An Account of the Gypsies of Spain

PREFACE

IT is with some diffidence that the author ventures to offer the

 present work to the public.

The greater part of it has been written under ver peculiarcircumstances! such as are not in general deemed at all favourable

for literar composition" at considerable intervals! during a period of nearl five ears passed in #pain $ in moments snatched

from more important pursuits $ chiefl in ventas and posadas!whilst wandering through the countr in the arduous and unthankful

task of distributing the %ospel among its children.

&wing to the causes above stated! he is aware that his work mustnot unfre'uentl appear somewhat dis(ointed and unconnected! and

the stle rude and unpolished" he has! nevertheless! permitted thetree to remain where he felled it! having! indeed! subse'uentl

en(oed too little leisure to make much effectual alteration.

At the same time he flatters himself that the work is not destituteof certain 'ualifications to entitle it to approbation. The

author)s ac'uaintance with the %ps race in general dates from aver earl period of his life! which considerabl facilitated his

intercourse with the Peninsular portion! to the elucidation of

whose histor and character the present volumes are more particularl devoted. *hatever he has asserted! is less the result

of reading than of close observation! he having long since come to

the conclusion that the %psies are not a people to be studied in books! or at least in such books as he believes have hitherto been

written concerning them.

Throughout he has dealt more in facts than in theories! of which heis in general no friend. True it is! that no race in the world

affords! in man points! a more e+tensive field for theor andcon(ecture than the %psies! who are certainl a ver msterious

 people come from some distant land! no mortal knows wh! and whomade their first appearance in Europe at a dark period! when events

were not so accuratel recorded as at the present time.

,ut if he has avoided as much as possible touching upon sub(ectswhich must alwas! to a certain e+tent! remain shrouded in

obscurit- for e+ample! the! original state and condition of the%psies! and the causes which first brought them into Europe- he

has stated what the are at the present da! what he knows them to be from a close scrutin of their was and habits! for which!

 perhaps! no one ever en(oed better opportunities- and he has!

moreover! given $ not a few words culled e+pressl for the purposeof supporting a theor! but one entire dialect of their language!

collected with much trouble and difficult- and to this he humbl

calls the attention of the learned! who! b comparing it with

certain languages! ma decide as to the countries in which the%psies have lived or travelled.

*ith respect to the %ps rhmes in the second volume! he wishes to

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make one observation which cannot be too fre'uentl repeated! andwhich he entreats the reader to bear in mind" the are %P#

C&/P&#ITI&0#! and have little merit save so far as the throw lighton the manner of thinking and speaking of the %ps people! or

rather a portion of them! and as to what the are capable ofeffecting in the wa of poetr. It will! doubtless! be said that

the rhmes are TRA#1- $ even were it so! the are original! and on

that account! in a philosophic point of view! are more valuablethan the most brilliant compositions pretending to describe %pslife! but written b persons who are not of the %ps sect. #uch

compositions! however replete with fier sentiments! and allusionsto freedom and independence! are certain to be tainted with

affectation. 0ow in the %ps rhmes there is no affectation! and

on that ver account the are different in ever respect from the

 poetr of those interesting personages who figure! under the namesof %psies! %itanos! ,ohemians! etc.! in novels and on the boards

of the theatre.

It will! perhaps! be ob(ected to the present work! that it containslittle that is edifing in a moral or Christian point of view" to

such an ob(ection the author would repl! that the %psies are nota Christian people! and that their moralit is of a peculiar kind!

not calculated to afford much edification to what is generalltermed the respectable portion of societ. #hould it be urged that

certain individuals have found them ver different from what theare represented in these volumes! he would frankl sa that he

ields no credit to the presumed fact! and at the same time hewould refer to the vocabular contained in the second volume!

whence it will appear that the words 1&A2 and 1&C3# have beenimmediatel derived from the language of the %psies! who! there is

good reason to believe! first introduced the sstem into Europe! towhich those words belong.

The author entertains no ill$will towards the %psies- wh shouldhe! were he a mere carnal reasoner4 1e has known them for upwards

of twent ears! in various countries! and the never in(ured a

hair of his head! or deprived him of a shred of his raiment- but heis not deceived as to the motive of their forbearance" the

thought him a R&/! and on this supposition the hurt him not! theirlove of )the blood) being their most distinguishing characteristic.

1e derived considerable assistance from them in #pain! as invarious instances the officiated as colporteurs in the

distribution of the %ospel" but on that account he is not preparedto sa that the entertained an love for the %ospel or that the

circulated it for the honour of Teble'ue the #aviour. *hateverthe did for the %ospel in #pain! was done in the hope that he whom

the conceived to be their brother had some purpose in view whichwas to contribute to the profit of the Cales! or %psies! and to

terminate in the confusion and plunder of the ,usne! or %entiles.Convinced of this! he is too little of an enthusiast to rear! on

such a foundation! an fantastic edifice of hope which would soontumble to the ground.

The cause of truth can scarcel be forwarded b enthusiasm! which

is almost invariabl the child of ignorance and error. The author

is an+ious to direct the attention of the public towards the%psies- but he hopes to be able to do so without an romantic

appeals in their behalf! b concealing the truth! or b warping the

truth until it becomes falsehood. In the following pages he has

depicted the %psies as he has found them! neither aggravatingtheir crimes nor gilding them with imaginar virtues. 1e has note+patiated on )their gratitude towards good people! who treat them

kindl and take an interest in their welfare)- for he believes that

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of all beings in the world the are the least susceptible of such afeeling. 0or has he ever done them in(ustice b attributing to

them licentious habits! from which the are! perhaps! more freethan an race in the creation.

PREFACE T& T1E #EC&05 E5ITI&0

I CA00&T permit the second edition of this work to go to press

without premising it with a few words.

*hen some two ears ago I first gave T1E 6I0CA7I to the world! itwas! as I stated at the time! with considerable hesitation and

diffidence" the composition of it and the collecting of %pswords had served as a kind of rela+ation to me whilst engaged in

the circulation of the %ospel in #pain. After the completion ofthe work! I had not the slightest idea that it possessed an

 peculiar merit! or was calculated to make the slightest impressionupon the reading world. 0evertheless! as ever one who writes

feels a kind of affection! greater or less! for the productions ofhis pen! I was averse! since the book was written! to suffer it to

 perish of damp in a lumber closet! or b friction in m travellingwallet. I committed it therefore to the press! with a friendl

)Farewell! little book- I have done for ou all I can! and muchmore than ou deserve.)

/ e+pectations at this time were widel different from those of m

namesake %eorge in the 8ICAR &F *A9EFIE75 when he published his parado+es. I took it as a matter of course that the world! whether

learned or unlearned! would sa to m book what the said to his

 parado+es! as the event showed! $ nothing at all. To m utterastonishment! however! I had no sooner returned to m humble

retreat! where I hoped to find the repose of which I was ver much

in need! than I was followed b the voice not onl of England butof the greater part of Europe! informing me that I had achieved a

feat $ a work in the nineteenth centur with some pretensions tooriginalit. The book was speedil reprinted in America! portions

of it were translated into French and Russian! and a fresh editiondemanded.

In the midst of all this there sounded upon m ears a voice which I

recognised as that of the /aecenas of ,ritish literature"),orromeo! don)t believe all ou hear! nor think that ou have

accomplished anthing so ver e+traordinar" a great portion ofour book is ver sorr trash indeed $ %ps poetr! dr laws! and

compilations from dull #panish authors" it has good points!however! which show that ou are capable of something much better"

tr our hand again $ avoid our besetting sins- and when ou haveaccomplished something which will reall do credit to $ #treet! it

will be time enough to think of another deliver of these %P#IE#.)

/istos amande" )I am content!) I replied- and sitting down I

commenced the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0. At first I proceeded slowl $sickness was in the land! and the face of nature was overcast $

heav rain$clouds swam in the heavens! $ the blast howled amid the

 pines which nearl surround m lonel dwelling! and the waters of

the lake which lies before it! so 'uiet in general and tran'uil!were fearfull agitated. ),ring lights hither! & 1aim ,en Attar!son of the miracle: ) And the ;ew of Fe< brought in the lights! for

though it was midda I could scarcel see in the little room where

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I was writing. . . .

A drear summer and autumn passed b! and were succeeded b asgloom a winter. I still proceeded with the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0. The

winter passed! and spring came with cold dr winds and occasionalsunshine! whereupon I arose! shouted! and mounting m horse! even

#idi 1abismilk! I scoured all the surrounding district! and thought

 but little of the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0.

#o I rode about the countr! over the heaths! and through the green

lanes of m native land! occasionall visiting friends at adistance! and sometimes! for variet)s sake! I staed at home and

amused mself b catching huge pike! which lie perdue in certain

deep ponds skirted with loft reeds! upon m land! and to which

there is a communication from the lagoon b a deep and narrowwatercourse. $ I had almost forgotten the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0.

Then came the summer with much heat and sunshine! and then I would

lie for hours in the sun and recall the sunn das I had spent inAndalusia! and m thoughts were continuall reverting to #pain! and

at last I remembered that the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0 was still unfinished-whereupon I arose and said" )This loitering profiteth nothing) $

and I hastened to m summer$house b the side of the lake! andthere I thought and wrote! and ever da I repaired to the same

 place! and thought and wrote until I had finished the ,I,7E I0#PAI0.

And at the proper season the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0 was given to the world-

and the world! both learned and unlearned! was delighted with the,I,7E I0 #PAI0! and the highest authorit =>? said! )This is a much

 better book than the %P#IE#)- and the ne+t great authorit =@?said! )something betwi+t 7e #age and ,unan.) )A far more

entertaining work than 5&0 3I2&TE!) e+claimed a literar lad.

)Another %I7 ,7A#!) said the cleverest writer in Europe. =B?)es!) e+claimed the cool sensible #PECTAT&R! =? )a %I7 ,7A# in

water$colours.)

And when I heard the last sentence! I laughed! and shouted! )9&#9&

PE00E#E PA7:) =D? It pleased me better than all the rest. Isthere not a te+t in a certain old book which sas" *oe unto ou

when all men shall speak well of ou: Those are awful words! brothers- woe is me:

)Revenons a nos ,ohemiens:) 0ow the ,I,7E I0 #PAI0 is off m

hands! I return to )these %P#IE#)- and here ou have! most kind!lenient! and courteous public! a fresh deliver of them. In the

 present edition! I have attended as much as possible to thesuggestions of certain individuals! for whose opinion I cannot but

entertain the highest respect. I have omitted various passagesfrom #panish authors! which the world has ob(ected to as being

'uite out of place! and serving for no other purpose than to swellout the work. In lieu thereof! I have introduced some original

matter relative to the %psies! which is! perhaps! more calculatedto fling light over their peculiar habits than anthing which has

et appeared. To remodel the work! however! I have neither time

nor inclination! and must therefore again commend it! with all theimperfections which still cling to it! to the generosit of the

 public.

A few words in conclusion. #ince the publication of the firstedition! I have received more than one letter! in which the writerscomplain that I! who seem to know so much of what has been written

concerning the %psies! =? should have taken no notice of a theor

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entertained b man! namel! that the are of ;ewish origin! andthat the are neither more nor less than the descendants of the two

lost tribes of Israel. 0ow I am not going to enter into adiscussion upon this point! for I know b e+perience! that the

 public cares nothing for discussions! however learned and edifing! but will take the present opportunit to relate a little adventure

of mine! which bears not a little upon this matter.

#o it came to pass! that one da I was scampering over a heath! atsome distance from m present home" I was mounted upon the good

horse #idi 1abismilk! and the ;ew of Fe<! swifter than the wind!ran b the side of the good horse 1abismilk! when what should I see

at a corner of the heath but the encampment of certain friends of

mine- and the chief of that camp! even /r. Petulengro! stood before

the encampment! and his adopted daughter! /iss Pinfold! stood beside him.

/#E7F. $ )9osko divvus =?! /r. Petulengro: I am glad to see ou"

how are ou getting on4)

/R. PET37E0%R&. $ )1ow am I getting on4 as well as I can. *hatwill ou have for that nokengro =G?4)

Thereupon I dismounted! and delivering the reins of the good horse

to /iss Pinfold! I took the ;ew of Fe<! even 1aim ,en Attar! bthe hand! and went up to /r. Petulengro! e+claiming! )#ure e are

two brothers.) Anon the %ps passed his hand over the ;ew)s face!and stared him in the ees" then turning to me he said! )*e are

not dui palor =H?- this man is no Roman- I believe him to be a ;ew-he has the face of one- besides! if he were a Rom! even from

;ericho! he could rokra a few words in Romman.)

 0ow the %ps had been in the habit of seeing %erman and English

;ews! who must have been separated from their African brethren fora term of at least > ears- et he recognised the ;ew of Fe< for

what he was $ a ;ew! and without hesitation declared that he was

)no Roman.) The ;ews! therefore! and the %psies have each their peculiar and distinctive countenance! which! to sa nothing of the

difference of language! precludes the possibilit of their havingever been the same people.

/ARC1 >! >GB.

 0&TICE T& T1E F&3RT1 E5ITI&0

T1I# edition has been carefull revised b the author! and some few

insertions have been made. In order! however! to give to the worka more popular character! the elaborate vocabular of the %ps

tongue! and other parts relating to the %ps language andliterature! have been omitted. Those who take an interest in these

sub(ects are referred to the larger edition in two vols. =>?

T1E %P#IE# $ I0TR&53CTI&0

T1R&3%1&3T m life the %ps race has alwas had a peculiar

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interest for me. Indeed I can remember no period when the meremention of the name of %ps did not awaken within me feelings hard

to be described. I cannot account for this $ I merel state afact.

#ome of the %psies! to whom I have stated this circumstance! have

accounted for it on the supposition that the soul which at present

animates m bod has at some former period tenanted that of one oftheir people- for man among them are believers in metempschosis!and! like the followers of ,ouddha! imagine that their souls! b

 passing through an infinite number of bodies! attain at lengthsufficient purit to be admitted to a state of perfect rest and

'uietude! which is the onl idea of heaven the can form.

1aving in various and distant countries lived in habits of intimacwith these people! I have come to the following conclusions

respecting them" that wherever the are found! their manners andcustoms are virtuall the same! though somewhat modified b

circumstances! and that the language the speak amongst themselves!and of which the are particularl an+ious to keep others in

ignorance! is in all countries one and the same! but has beensub(ected more or less to modification- and lastl! that their

countenances e+hibit a decided famil resemblance! but are darkeror fairer according to the temperature of the climate! but

invariabl darker! at least in Europe! than those of the natives ofthe countries in which the dwell! for e+ample! England and Russia!

%erman and #pain.

The names b which the are known differ with the countr! though!with one or two e+ceptions! not materiall for e+ample! the are

stled in Russia! 6igani- in Turke and Persia! 6ingarri- and in%erman! 6igeuner- all which words apparentl spring from the same

etmon! which there is no improbabilit in supposing to be

)6incali!) a term b which these people! especiall those of #pain!sometimes designate themselves! and the meaning of which is

 believed to be! T1E ,7AC9 /E0 &F 6E05 &R I05. In England and #pain

the are commonl known as %psies and %itanos! from a general belief that the were originall Egptians! to which the two words

are tantamount- and in France as ,ohemians! from the circumstancethat ,ohemia was one of the first countries in civilised Europe

where the made their appearance.

,ut the generall stle themselves and the language which thespeak! Romman. This word! of which I shall ultimatel have more

to sa! is of #anscrit origin! and signifies! The 1usbands! or thatwhich pertaineth unto them. From whatever motive this appellation

ma have originated! it is perhaps more applicable than an otherto a sect or caste like them! who have no love and no affection

 beond their own race- who are capable of making great sacrificesfor each other! and who gladl pre upon all the rest of the human

species! whom the detest! and b whom the are hated and despised.It will perhaps not be out of place to observe here! that there is

no reason for supposing that the word Roma or Romman is derivedfrom the Arabic word which signifies %reece or %recians! as some

 people not much ac'uainted with the language of the race in

'uestion have imagined.

I have no intention at present to sa anthing about their origin.

#cholars have asserted that the language which the speak proves

them to be of Indian stock! and undoubtedl a great number of theirwords are #anscrit. / own opinion upon this sub(ect will be foundin a subse'uent article. I shall here content mself with

observing that from whatever countr the come! whether from India

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or Egpt! there can be no doubt that the are human beings and haveimmortal souls- and it is in the humble hope of drawing the

attention of the Christian philanthropist towards them! especiallthat degraded and unhapp portion of them! the %itanos of #pain!

that the present little work has been undertaken. ,ut before proceeding to speak of the latter! it will perhaps not be amiss to

afford some account of the Romman as I have seen them in other

countries- for there is scarcel a part of the habitable worldwhere the are not to be found" their tents are alike pitched onthe heaths of ,ra<il and the ridges of the 1imalaan hills! and

their language is heard at /oscow and /adrid! in the streets of7ondon and #tamboul.

T1E 6I%A0I! &R R3##IA0 %P#IE#

The are found in all parts of Russia! with the e+ception of the

government of #t. Petersburg! from which the have been banished.In most of the provincial towns the are to be found in a state of

half$civilisation! supporting themselves b trafficking in horses!or b curing the disorders incidental to those animals- but the

vast ma(orit re(ect this manner of life! and traverse the countrin bands! like the ancient 1ama+obioi- the immense grass plains of

Russia affording pasturage for their herds of cattle! on which! andthe produce of the chase! the chiefl depend for subsistence.

The are! however! not destitute of mone! which the obtain bvarious means! but principall b curing diseases amongst the

cattle of the mu(iks or peasantr! and b telling fortunes! and notunfre'uentl b theft and brigandage.

Their power of resisting cold is trul wonderful! as it is not

uncommon to find them encamped in the midst of the snow! in slight

canvas tents! when the temperature is twent$five or thirt degrees below the free<ing$point according to Reaumur- but in the winter

the generall seek the shelter of the forests! which afford fuel

for their fires! and abound in game.

The race of the Romman is b nature perhaps the most beautiful inthe world- and amongst the children of the Russian 6igani are

fre'uentl to be found countenances to do (ustice to which wouldre'uire the pencil of a second /urillo- but e+posure to the ras of

the burning sun! the biting of the frost! and the pelting of the pitiless sleet and snow! destros their beaut at a ver earl age-

and if in infanc their personal advantages are remarkable! theirugliness at an advanced age is no less so! for then it is

loathsome! and even appalling.

A hundred ears! could I live so long! would not efface from mmind the appearance of an aged 6iganskie Attaman! or Captain of

6igani! and his grandson! who approached me on the meadow before 0ovo %orod! where stood the encampment of a numerous horde. The

 bo was of a form and face which might have entitled him torepresent Astana+! and 1ector of Tro might have pressed him to

his bosom! and called him his pride- but the old man was! perhaps!

such a shape as /ilton has alluded to! but could onl describe ase+ecrable $ he wanted but the dart and kingl crown to have

represented the monster who opposed the progress of 7ucifer! whilst

careering in burning arms and infernal glor to the outlet of his

hellish prison.

,ut in speaking of the Russian %psies! those of /oscow must not be

 passed over in silence. The station to which the have attained in

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societ in that most remarkable of cities is so far above thesphere in which the remainder of their race pass their lives! that

it ma be considered as a phenomenon in %ps histor! and on thataccount is entitled to particular notice.

Those who have been accustomed to consider the %ps as a wandering

outcast! incapable of appreciating the blessings of a settled and

civilised life! or $ if abandoning vagabond propensities! and becoming stationar $ as one who never ascends higher than thecondition of a low trafficker! will be surprised to learn! that

amongst the %psies of /oscow there are not a few who inhabitstatel houses! go abroad in elegant e'uipages! and are behind the

higher orders of the Russians neither in appearance nor mental

ac'uirements. To the power of song alone this phenomenon is to be

attributed. From time immemorial the female %psies of /oscow have been much addicted to the vocal art! and bands or 'uires of them

have sung for pa in the halls of the nobilit or upon the boardsof the theatre. #ome first$rate songsters have been produced among

them! whose merits have been acknowledged! not onl b the Russian public! but b the most fastidious foreign critics. Perhaps the

highest compliment ever paid to a songster was paid b Catalaniherself to one of these daughters of Roma. It is well known

throughout Russia that the celebrated Italian was so enchanted withthe voice of a /oscow %ps =who! after the former had displaed

her noble talent before a splendid audience in the old Russiancapital! stepped forward and poured forth one of her national

strains?! that she tore from her own shoulders a shawl of cashmire!which had been presented to her b the Pope! and! embracing the

%ps! insisted on her acceptance of the splendid gift! saing!that it had been intended for the matchless songster! which she now

 perceived she herself was not.

The sums obtained b man of these females b the e+ercise of their

art enable them to support their relatives in affluence and lu+ur"some are married to Russians! and no one who has visited Russia can

 but be aware that a lovel and accomplished countess! of the noble

and numerous famil of Tolsto! is b birth a 6igana! and wasoriginall one of the principal attractions of a Romman choir at

/oscow.

,ut it is not to be supposed that the whole of the %ps females at/oscow are of this high and talented description- the ma(orit of

them are of far lower 'ualit! and obtain their livelihood bsinging and dancing at taverns! whilst their husbands in general

follow the occupation of horse$dealing.

Their favourite place of resort in the summer time is /arina Rot<e!a species of slvan garden about two versts from /oscow! and

thither! tempted b curiosit! I drove one fine evening. &n marrival the 6iganas came flocking out from their little tents! and

from the tractir or inn which has been erected for theaccommodation of the public. #tanding on the seat of the calash! I

addressed them in a loud voice in the English dialect of theRomman! of which I have some knowledge. A shrill scream of wonder

was instantl raised! and welcomes and blessings were poured forth

in floods of musical Romman! above all of which predominated thecr of 9A9 CA/E00A T3TE PRA7A $ or! 1ow we love ou! brother: $ for

at first the mistook me for one of their wandering brethren from

the distant lands! come over the great panee or ocean to visit

them.

After some conversation the commenced singing! and favoured me

with man songs! both in Russian and Romman" the former were

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modern popular pieces! such as are accustomed to be sung on the boards of the theatre- but the latter were evidentl of great

anti'uit! e+hibiting the strongest marks of originalit! themetaphors bold and sublime! and the metre differing from anthing

of the kind which it has been m fortune to observe in &riental orEuropean prosod.

&ne of the most remarkable! and which commences thus"

)6a mateia rosherroro odolata,ravintata!)

=or! 1er head is aching with grief! as if she had tasted wine?describes the anguish of a maiden separated from her lover! and who

calls for her steed"

)Ted(av manga gurraoro) $

that she ma depart in 'uest of the lord of her bosom! and sharehis (os and pleasures.

A collection of these songs! with a translation and vocabular!

would be no slight accession to literature! and would probablthrow more light on the histor of this race than anthing which

has et appeared- and! as there is no want of <eal and talent inRussia amongst the cultivators of ever branch of literature! and

especiall philolog! it is onl surprising that such a collectionstill remains a desideratum.

The religion which these singular females e+ternall professed wasthe %reek! and the mostl wore crosses of copper or gold- but when

I 'uestioned them on this sub(ect in their native language! the

laughed! and said it was onl to please the Russians. Their namesfor %od and his adversar are 5eval and ,engel! which differ little

from the #panish 3n$debel and ,engi! which signif the same. Iwill now sa something of 

T1E 130%ARIA0 %P#IE#! &R C6I%A0

1ungar! though a countr not a tenth part so e+tensive as the huge

colossus of the Russian empire! whose t<ar reigns over a hundredlands! contains perhaps as man %psies! it not being uncommon to

find whole villages inhabited b this race- the likewise abound inthe suburbs of the towns. In 1ungar the feudal sstem still

e+ists in all its pristine barbarit- in no countr does the hardhand of this oppression bear so heav upon the lower classes $ not

even in Russia. The peasants of Russia are serfs! it is true! buttheir condition is enviable compared with that of the same class in

the other countr- the have certain rights and privileges! and

are! upon the whole! happ and contented! whilst the 1ungarians areground to powder. Two classes are free in 1ungar to do almost

what the please $ the nobilit and $ the %psies- the former are

above the law $ the latter below it" a toll is wrung from the

hands of the hard$working labourers! that most meritorious class!in passing over a bridge! for e+ample at Pesth! which is notdemanded from a well$dressed person $ nor from the C<igan! who

have fre'uentl no dress at all $ and whose insouciance stands in

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striking contrast with the trembling submission of the peasants.The %ps! wherever ou find him! is an incomprehensible being! but

nowhere more than in 1ungar! where! in the midst of slaver! he isfree! though apparentl one step lower than the lowest slave. The

habits of the 1ungarian %psies are abominable- their hovels appearsinks of the vilest povert and filth! their dress is at best rags!

their food fre'uentl the vilest carrion! and occasionall! if

report be true! still worse $ on which point! when speaking of the#panish %itanos! we shall have subse'uentl more to sa" thus thelive in filth! in rags! in nakedness! and in merriness of heart!

for nowhere is there more of song and dance than in an 1ungarian%ps village. The are ver fond of music! and some of them are

heard to touch the violin in a manner wild! but of peculiar

e+cellence. Parties of them have been known to e+hibit even at

Paris.

In 1ungar! as in all parts! the are addicted to horse$dealing-the are likewise tinkers! and smiths in a small wa. The women

are fortune$tellers! of course $ both se+es thieves of the firstwater. The roam where the list $ in a countr where all other

 people are held under strict surveillance! no one seems to careabout these Parias. The most remarkable feature! however!

connected with the habits of the C<igan! consists in their foreigne+cursions! having plunder in view! which fre'uentl endure for

three or four ears! when! if no mischance has befallen them! thereturn to their native land $ rich- where the s'uander the

 proceeds of their de+terit in mad festivals. The wander in bandsof twelve and fourteen through France! even to Rome. &nce! during

m own wanderings in Ital! I rested at nightfall b the side of akiln! the air being piercingl cold- it was about four leagues from

%enoa. Presentl arrived three individuals to take advantage ofthe warmth $ a man! a woman! and a lad. The soon began to

discourse $ and I found that the were 1ungarian %psies- the

spoke of what the had been doing! and what the had amassed $ Ithink the mentioned nine hundred crowns. The had companions in

the neighbourhood! some of whom the were e+pecting- the took no

notice of me! and conversed in their own dialect- I did not approveof their propin'uit! and rising! hastened awa.

*hen 0apoleon invaded #pain there were not a few 1ungarian %psies

in his armies- some strange encounters occurred on the field of battle between these people and the #panish %itanos! one of which

is related in the second part of the present work. *hen 'uarteredin the #panish towns! the C<igan invariabl sought out their

 peninsular brethren! to whom the revealed themselves! kissing andembracing most affectionatel- the %itanos were astonished at the

 proficienc of the strangers in thievish arts! and looked upon themalmost in the light of superior beings" )The knew the whole

reckoning!) is still a common e+pression amongst them. There was aC<iganian soldier for some time at Cordoba! of whom the %itanos of

the place still fre'uentl discourse! whilst smoking their cigarsduring winter nights over their braseros.

The 1ungarian %psies have a peculiar accent when speaking the

language of the countr! b which the can be instantl

distinguished- the same thing is applicable to the %itanos of #painwhen speaking #panish. In no part of the world is the %ps

language preserved better than in 1ungar.

The following short praer to the 8irgin! which I have fre'uentlheard amongst the %psies of 1ungar and Translvania! will serveas a specimen of their language.$

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%ula 5evla! da me saschipo. #wuntuna 5evla! da me bacht t)

aldaschis cari me (av- te ferin man! 5evla! sila ta niapaschiata!chungale manuschendar! ke me (av ande drom ca hin man traba- ferin

man! 5evia- ma mek man 5evla! ke manga man tre 5evies$ke.

#weet %oddess! give me health. 1ol %oddess! give me luck and

grace wherever I go- and help me! %oddess! powerful and immaculate!from ugl men! that I ma go in the road to the place I purpose"help me! %oddess- forsake me not! %oddess! for I pra for %od)s

sake.

*A77AC1IA A05 /&75A8IA

In *allachia and /oldavia! two of the eastern$most regions ofEurope! are to be found seven millions of people calling themselves

Roumouni! and speaking a dialect of the 7atin tongue much corrupted b barbarous terms! so called. The are supposed to be in part

descendants of Roman soldiers! Rome in the das of her grandeurhaving established immense militar colonies in these parts. In

the midst of these people e+ist vast numbers of %psies! amounting!I am disposed to think! to at least two hundred thousand. The land

of the Roumouni! indeed! seems to have been the hive from which the*est of Europe derived the %ps part of its population. Far be it

from me to sa that the %psies sprang originall from Roumouni$land. All I mean is! that it was their grand resting$place after

crossing the 5anube. The entered Roumouni$land from ,ulgaria!crossing the great river! and from thence some went to the north$

east! overrunning Russia! others to the west of Europe! as far as

#pain and England. That the earl %psies of the *est! and alsothose of Russia! came from Roumouni$land! is easil proved! as in

all the western %ps dialects! and also in the Russian! are to be

found words belonging to the Roumouni speech- for e+ample! primavera! spring- cheros! heaven- chorab! stocking- chisme!

 boots- $ Roum $ primivari! cherul! chorapul! chisme. &ne mightalmost be tempted to suppose that the term Romman! b which the

%psies of Russia and the *est call themselves! was derived fromRoumouni! were it not for one fact! which is! that Romanus in the

7atin tongue merel means a native of Rome! whilst the specificmeaning of Rome still remains in the dark- whereas in %ps Rom

means a husband! Romman the sect of the husbands- Romanesti ifmarried. *hether both words were derived originall from the same

source! as I believe some people have supposed! is a 'uestionwhich! with m present lights! I cannot pretend to determine.

T1E E0%7I#1 %P#IE#

 0o countr appears less adapted for that wandering life! whichseems so natural to these people! than England. Those wildernesses

and forests! which the are so attached to! are not to be found

there- ever inch of land is cultivated! and its produce watched

with a (ealous ee- and as the laws against trampers! without thevisible means of supporting themselves! are e+ceedingl severe! the possibilit of the %psies e+isting as a distinct race! and

retaining their original free and independent habits! might

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naturall be called in 'uestion b those who had not satisfactorilverified the fact. et it is a truth that! amidst all these

seeming disadvantages! the not onl e+ist there! but in no part ofthe world is their life more in accordance with the general idea

that the %ps is like Cain! a wanderer of the earth- for inEngland the covered cart and the little tent are the houses of the

%ps! and he seldom remains more than three das in the same

 place.

At present the are considered in some degree as a privileged

 people- for! though their wa of life is unlawful! it is connivedat- the law of England having discovered b e+perience! that its

utmost fur is inefficient to reclaim them from their inveterate

habits.

#hortl after their first arrival in England! which is upwards of

three centuries since! a dreadful persecution was raised againstthem! the aim of which was their utter e+termination- the being a

%ps was esteemed a crime worth of death! and the gibbets ofEngland groaned and creaked beneath the weight of %ps carcases!

and the miserable survivors were literall obliged to creep intothe earth in order to preserve their lives. ,ut these das passed

 b- their persecutors became wear of pursuing them- the showedtheir heads from the holes and caves where the had hidden

themselves! the ventured forth! increased in numbers! and! eachtribe or famil choosing a particular circuit! the fairl divided

the land amongst them.

In England! the male %psies are all dealers in horses! andsometimes emplo their idle time in mending the tin and copper

utensils of the peasantr- the females tell fortunes. Thegenerall pitch their tents in the vicinit of a village or small

town b the road side! under the shelter of the hedges and trees.

The climate of England is well known to be favourable to beaut!and in no part of the world is the appearance of the %psies so

 prepossessing as in that countr- their comple+ion is dark! but not

disagreeabl so- their faces are oval! their features regular!their foreheads rather low! and their hands and feet small. The

men are taller than the English peasantr! and far more active.The all speak the English language with fluenc! and in their gait

and demeanour are eas and graceful- in both points standing instriking contrast with the peasantr! who in speech are slow and

uncouth! and in manner dogged and brutal.

The dialect of the Romman! which the speak! though mi+ed withEnglish words! ma be considered as tolerabl pure! from the fact

that it is intelligible to the %ps race in the heart of Russia.*hatever crimes the ma commit! their vices are few! for the men

are not drunkards! nor are the women harlots- there are no twocharacters which the hold in so much abhorrence! nor do an words

when applied b them conve so much e+ecration as these two.

The crimes of which these people were originall accused werevarious! but the principal were theft! sorcer! and causing disease

among the cattle- and there is ever reason for supposing that in

none of these points the were altogether guiltless.

*ith respect to sorcer! a thing in itself impossible! not onl the

English %psies! but the whole race! have ever professed it-

therefore! whatever miser the ma have suffered on that account!the ma be considered as having called it down upon their ownheads.

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5abbling in sorcer is in some degree the province of the female%ps. #he affects to tell the future! and to prepare philtres b

means of which love can be awakened in an individual towards an particular ob(ect- and such is the credulit of the human race!

even in the most enlightened countries! that the profits arisingfrom these practices are great. The following is a case in point"

two females! neighbours and friends! were tried some ears since!

in England! for the murder of their husbands. It appeared thatthe were in love with the same individual! and had con(ointl! atvarious times! paid sums of mone to a %ps woman to work charms

to captivate his affections. *hatever little effect the charmsmight produce! the were successful in their principal ob(ect! for

the person in 'uestion carried on for some time a criminal

intercourse with both. The matter came to the knowledge of the

husbands! who! taking means to break off this connection! wererespectivel poisoned b their wives. Till the moment of

conviction these wretched females betraed neither emotion norfear! but then their consternation was indescribable- and the

afterwards confessed that the %ps! who had visited them in prison! had promised to shield them from conviction b means of her

art. It is therefore not surprising that in the fifteenth andsi+teenth centuries! when a belief in sorcer was supported b the

laws of all Europe! these people were regarded as practisers ofsorcer! and punished as such! when! even in the nineteenth! the

still find people weak enough to place confidence in their claimsto supernatural power.

The accusation of producing disease and death amongst the cattle

was far from groundless. Indeed! however strange and incredible itma sound in the present da to those who are unac'uainted with

this caste! and the peculiar habits of the Rommanees! the practiceis still occasionall pursued in England and man other countries

where the are found. From this practice! when the are not

detected! the derive considerable advantage. Poisoning cattle ise+ercised b them in two was" b one! the merel cause disease

in the animals! with the view of receiving mone for curing them

upon offering their services- the poison is generall administered b powders cast at night into the mangers of the animals" this wa

is onl practised upon the larger cattle! such as horses and cows., the other! which the practise chiefl on swine! speed death is

almost invariabl produced! the drug administered being of a highlinto+icating nature! and affecting the brain. The then appl at

the house or farm where the disaster has occurred for the carcaseof the animal! which is generall given them without suspicion! and

then the feast on the flesh! which is not in(ured b the poison!which onl affects the head.

The English %psies are constant attendants at the racecourse- what

 (ocke is not4 Perhaps (ockeism originated with them! and evenracing! at least in England. ;ockeism properl implies T1E

/A0A%E/E0T &F A *1IP! and the word (ocke is neither more nor lessthan the term slightl modified! b which the designate the

formidable whips which the usuall carr! and which are at presentin general use amongst horse$traffickers! under the title of (ocke

whips. The are likewise fond of resorting to the pri<e$ring! and

have occasionall even attained some eminence! as principals! inthose disgraceful and brutalising e+hibitions called pugilistic

combats. I believe a great deal has been written on the sub(ect of

the English %psies! but the writers have dwelt too much in

generalities- the have been afraid to take the %ps b the hand!lead him forth from the crowd! and e+hibit him in the area- he iswell worth observing. *hen a bo of fourteen! I was present at a

 pri<e$fight- wh should I hide the truth4 It took place on a green

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meadow! beside a running stream! close b the old church of E$! andwithin a league of the ancient town of 0$! the capital of one of

the eastern counties. The terrible Thurtell was present! lord ofthe concourse- for wherever he moved he was master! and whenever he

spoke! even when in chains! ever other voice was silent. 1e stoodon the mead! grim and pale as usual! with his bruisers around. 1e

it was! indeed! who %&T 3P the fight! as he had previousl done

twent others- it being his fre'uent boast that he had firstintroduced bruising and bloodshed amidst rural scenes! andtransformed a 'uiet slumbering town into a den of ;ews and

metropolitan thieves. #ome time before the commencement of thecombat! three men! mounted on wild$looking horses! came dashing

down the road in the direction of the meadow! in the midst of which

the presentl showed themselves! their horses clearing the deep

ditches with wonderful alacrit. )That)s %ps *ill and his gang!)lisped a 1ebrew pickpocket- )we shall have another fight.) The

word %ps was alwas sufficient to e+cite m curiosit! and Ilooked attentivel at the newcomers.

I have seen %psies of various lands! Russian! 1ungarian! and

Turkish- and I have also seen the legitimate children of mostcountries of the world- but I never saw! upon the whole! three more

remarkable individuals! as far as personal appearance wasconcerned! than the three English %psies who now presented

themselves to m ees on that spot. Two of them had dismounted!and were holding their horses b the reins. The tallest! and! at

the first glance! the most interesting of the two! was almost agiant! for his height could not have been less than si+ feet three.

It is impossible for the imagination to conceive anthing more perfectl beautiful than were the features of this man! and the

most skilful sculptor of %reece might have taken them as his modelfor a hero and a god. The forehead was e+ceedingl loft! $ a rare

thing in a %ps- the nose less Roman than %recian! $ fine et

delicate- the ees large! overhung with long drooping lashes!giving them almost a melanchol e+pression- it was onl when the

lashes were elevated that the %ps glance was seen! if that can be

called a glance which is a strange stare! like nothing else in thisworld. 1is comple+ion was a beautiful olive- and his teeth were of

a brillianc uncommon even amongst these people! who have all fineteeth. 1e was dressed in a coarse waggoner)s slop! which! however!

was unable to conceal altogether the proportions of his noble and1erculean figure. 1e might be about twent$eight. 1is companion

and his captain! %ps *ill! was! I think! fift when he washanged! ten ears subse'uentl =for I never afterwards lost sight

of him?! in the front of the (ail of ,ur #t. Edmunds. I havestill present before me his bush black hair! his black face! and

his big black ees fi+ed and staring. 1is dress consisted of aloose blue (ocke coat! (ocke boots and breeches- in his hand was

a huge (ocke whip! and on his head =it struck me at the time forits singularit? a broad$brimmed! high$peaked Andalusian hat! or at

least one ver much resembling those generall worn in that province. In stature he was shorter than his more outhful

companion! et he must have measured si+ feet at least! and wasstronger built! if possible. *hat brawn: $ what bone: $ what legs:

$ what thighs: The third %ps! who remained on horseback! looked

more like a phantom than an thing human. 1is comple+ion was thecolour of pale dust! and of that same colour was all that pertained

to him! hat and clothes. 1is boots were dust of course! for it

was midsummer! and his ver horse was of a dust dun. 1is features

were whimsicall ugl! most of his teeth were gone! and as to hisage! he might be thirt or si+t. 1e was somewhat lame and halt! but an une'ualled rider when once upon his steed! which he was

naturall not ver solicitous to 'uit. I subse'uentl discovered

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that he was considered the wi<ard of the gang.

I have been alread proli+ with respect to these %psies! but Iwill not leave them 'uite et. The intended combatants at length

arrived- it was necessar to clear the ring! $ alwas a troublesomeand difficult task. Thurtell went up to the two %psies! with whom

he seemed to be ac'uainted! and with his surl smile! said two or

three words! which I! who was standing b! did not understand. The%psies smiled in return! and giving the reins of their animals totheir mounted companion! immediatel set about the task which the

king of the flash$men had! as I con(ecture! imposed upon them- thisthe soon accomplished. *ho could stand against such fellows and

such whips4 The fight was soon over $ then there was a pause.

&nce more Thurtell came up to the %psies and said something $ the

%psies looked at each other and conversed- but their words thenhad no meaning for m ears. The tall %ps shook his head $ )8er

well!) said the other! in English. )I will $ that)s all.)

Then pushing the people aside! he strode to the ropes! over whichhe bounded into the ring! flinging his #panish hat high into the

air.

%P# *I77. $ )The best man in England for twent pounds:)

)T13RTE77. $ )I am backer:)

Twent pounds is a tempting sum! and there men that da upon thegreen meadow who would have shed the blood of their own fathers for

the fifth of the price. ,ut the %ps was not an unknown man! his prowess and strength were notorious! and no one cared to encounter

him. #ome of the ;ews looked eager for a moment- but their sharpees 'uailed 'uickl before his savage glances! as he towered in

the ring! his huge form dilating! and his black features convulsed

with e+citement. The *estminster bravoes eed the %ps askance- but the comparison! if the made an! seemed b no means favourable

to themselves. )%ps: rum chap. $ 3gl customer! $ alwas in

training.) #uch were the e+clamations which I heard! some of whichat that period of m life I did not understand.

 0o man would fight the %ps. $ es: a strong countr fellow wished

to win the stakes! and was about to fling up his hat in defiance! but he was prevented b his friends! with $ )Fool: he)ll kill ou:)

As the %psies were mounting their horses! I heard the dust

 phantom e+claim $

),rother! ou are an arrant ring$maker and a horse$breaker- ou)llmake a hempen ring to break our own neck of a horse one of these

das.)

The pressed their horses) flanks! again leaped over the ditches!and speedil vanished! amidst the whirlwinds of dust which the

raised upon the road.

The words of the phantom %ps were ominous. %ps *ill was

eventuall e+ecuted for a murder committed in his earl outh! incompan with two English labourers! one of whom confessed the fact

on his death$bed. 1e was the head of the clan oung! which! with

the clan #mith! still haunts two of the eastern counties.

#&/E F3RT1ER PARTIC37AR# RE#PECTI0% T1E E0%7I#1 %P#IE#

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It is difficult to sa at what period the %psies or Romman made

their first appearance in England. The had become! however! sucha nuisance in the time of 1enr the Eighth! Philip and /ar! and

Eli<abeth! that %psism was denounced b various roal statutes!and! if persisted in! was to be punished as felon without benefit

of clerg- it is probable! however! that the had overrun England

long before the period of the earliest of these monarchs. The%psies penetrate into all countries! save poor ones! and it ishardl to be supposed that a few leagues of intervening salt water

would have kept a race so enterprising an considerable length oftime! after their arrival on the continent of Europe! from

obtaining a footing in the fairest and richest countr of the *est.

It is eas enough to conceive the manner in which the %psies livedin England for a long time subse'uent to their arrival" doubtless

in a half$savage state! wandering about from place to place!encamping on the uninhabited spots! of which there were then so

man in England! feared and hated b the population! who lookedupon them as thieves and foreign sorcerers! occasionall committing

acts of brigandage! but depending chiefl for subsistence on the practice of the )arts of Egpt!) in which cunning and de+terit

were far more necessar than courage or strength of hand.

It would appear that the were alwas divided into clans or tribes!each bearing a particular name! and to which a particular district

more especiall belonged! though occasionall the would e+changedistricts for a period! and! incited b their characteristic love

of wandering! would travel far and wide. &f these families eachhad a sher$engro! or head man! but that the were ever united under

one Romman 9rallis! or %ps 9ing! as some people have insisted!there is not the slightest ground for supposing.

It is possible that man of the original %ps tribes are no longerin e+istence" disease or the law ma have made sad havoc among

them! and the few survivors have incorporated themselves with other

families! whose name the have adopted. Two or three instances ofthis description have occurred within the sphere of m own

knowledge" the heads of small families have been cut off! and thesubordinate members! too oung and ine+perienced to continue

%psing as independent wanderers! have been adopted b othertribes.

The principal %ps tribes at present in e+istence are the

#tanles! whose grand haunt is the 0ew Forest- the 7ovells! who arefond of 7ondon and its vicinit- the Coopers! who call *indsor

Castle their home- the 1ernes! to whom the north countr! moreespeciall orkshire! belongeth- and lastl! m brethren! the

#miths! $ to whom East Anglia appears to have been allotted fromthe beginning.

All these families have %ps names! which seem! however! to be

little more than attempts at translation of the English ones"$ thusthe #tanles are called ,ar$engres =>>?! which means ston$fellows!

or ston$hearts- the Coopers! *ardo$engres! or wheelwrights- the

7ovells! Camo$mescres! or amorous fellows the 1ernes =%erman1aaren? ,alors! hairs! or hair men- while the #miths are called

Petul$engres! signifing horseshoe fellows! or blacksmiths.

It is not ver eas to determine how the %psies became possessedof some of these names" the reader! however! will have observedthat two of them! #tanle and 7ovell! are the names of two highl

aristocratic English families- the %psies who bear them perhaps

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adopted them from having! at their first arrival! establishedthemselves on the estates of those great people- or it is possible

that the translated their original %ps appellations b thesenames! which the deemed snonmous. /uch the same ma be said

with respect to 1erne! an ancient English name- the probablsometimes officiated as coopers or wheelwrights! whence the

cognomination. &f the term Petul$engro! or #mith! however! I wish

to sa something in particular.

There is ever reason for believing that this last is a genuine

%ps name! brought with them from the countr from which theoriginall came- it is compounded of two words! signifing! as has

 been alread observed! horseshoe fellows! or people whose trade is

to manufacture horseshoes! a trade which the %psies pl in various

 parts of the world! $ for e+ample! in Russia and 1ungar! and more particularl about %ranada in #pain! as will subse'uentl be shown.

True it is! that at present there are none amongst the English%psies who manufacture horseshoes- all the men! however! are

tinkers more or less! and the word Petul$engro is applied to thetinker also! though the proper meaning of it is undoubtedl what I

have alread stated above. In other dialects of the %ps tongue!this cognomen e+ists! though not e+actl with the same

signification- for e+ample! in the 1ungarian dialect! PI05&R&!which is evidentl a modification of Petul$engro! is applied to a

%ps in general! whilst in #panish Pepindorio is the %ps wordfor Antonio. In some parts of 0orthern Asia! the %psies call

themselves *attul =>@?! which seems to be one and the same asPetul.

,esides the above$named %ps clans! there are other smaller ones!

some of which do not comprise more than a do<en individuals!children included. For e+ample! the ,osviles! the ,rowns! the

Chilcotts! the %ras! 7ees! Talors! and *hites- of these the

 principal is the ,osvile tribe.

After the das of the great persecution in England against the

%psies! there can be little doubt that the lived a right merrand tran'uil life! wandering about and pitching their tents

wherever inclination led them" indeed! I can scarcel conceive anhuman condition more enviable than %ps life must have been in

England during the latter part of the seventeenth! and the whole ofthe eighteenth centur! which were likewise the happ das for

Englishmen in general- there was peace and plent in the land! acontented population! and everthing went well. es! those were

 brave times for the Romman chals! to which the old people oftenrevert with a sigh" the poor %psies! sa the! were then allowed

to #&8E A,RI =sleep abroad? where the listed! to heat theirkettles at the foot of the oaks! and no people grudged the poor

 persons one night)s use of a meadow to feed their cattle in.T3%0I# A/A05E! our heart is heav! brother! $ there is no longer

%ps law in the land! $ our people have become negligent! $ theare but half Romman! $ the are divided and care for nothing! $

the do not even fear Pa<orrhus! brother.

/uch the same complaints are at present made b the #panish

%psies. %psism is certainl on the decline in both countries.In England! a superabundant population! and! of late! a ver

vigilant police! have done much to modif %ps life- whilst in

#pain! causes widel different have produced a still greater

change! as will be seen further on.

%ps law does not flourish at present in England! and still less

in #pain! nor does %psism. I need not e+plain here what %psism

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law has become too weak to force him to li'uidate a debt b moneor b service.

#uch was %ps law in England! and there is ever probabilit that

it is much the same in all parts of the world where the %ps raceis to be found. About the peculiar practices of the %psies I need

not sa much here- the reader will find in the account of the

#panish %psies much that will afford him an idea of %ps arts inEngland. I have alread alluded to C1I8I0% 5RA8! or poisoning!which is still much practised b the English %psies! though it has

almost entirel ceased in #pain- then there is C1I8I0% 73883 A5REP38&! or putting mone within the earth! a trick b which the

females deceive the gorgios! and which will be more particularl

described in the affairs of #pain" the men are adepts at cheating

the gorgios b means of 0&9$E0%R&E# and P&%%A5&$,A8E0%R&E#=glandered and broken$winded horses?. ,ut! leaving the sub(ect of

their tricks and Romman arts! b no means an agreeable one! I willtake the present opportunit of saing a few words about a practice

of theirs! highl characteristic of a wandering people! and whichis onl e+tant amongst those of the race who still continue to

wander much- for e+ample! the Russian %psies and those of the1ungarian famil! who stroll through Ital on plundering

e+peditions" I allude to the PATTERA0 or TRAI7.

It is ver possible that the reader during his countr walks orrides has observed! on coming to four cross$roads! two or three

handfuls of grass ling at a small distance from each other downone of these roads- perhaps he ma have supposed that this grass

was recentl plucked from the roadside b frolicsome children! andflung upon the ground in sport! and this ma possibl have been the

case- it is ten chances to one! however! that no children)s hands plucked them! but that the were strewed in this manner b %psies!

for the purpose of informing an of their companions! who might be

straggling behind! the route which the had taken- this is one formof the patteran or trail. It is likel! too! that the gorgio

reader ma have seen a cross drawn at the entrance of a road! the

long part or stem of it pointing down that particular road! and hema have thought nothing of it! or have supposed that some

sauntering individual like himself had made the mark with hisstick" not so! courteous gorgio- le tiro solloholomus opre lesti!

&3 /A TA9E &3R &AT1 3P&0 IT that it was drawn b a %ps finger!for that mark is another of the Romman trails- there is no mistake

in this. &nce in the south of France! when I was wear! hungr!and penniless! I observed one of these last patterans! and

following the direction pointed out! arrived at the resting$placeof )certain ,ohemians!) b whom I was received with kindness and

hospitalit! on the faith of no other word of recommendation than patteran. There is also another kind of patteran! which is more

 particularl adapted for the night- it is a cleft stick stuck atthe side of the road! close b the hedge! with a little arm in the

cleft pointing down the road which the band have taken! in themanner of a signpost- an stragglers who ma arrive at night where

cross$roads occur search for this patteran on the left$hand side!and speedil re(oin their companions.

, following these patterans! or trails! the first %psies on theirwa to Europe never lost each other! though wandering amidst horrid

wildernesses and drear defiles. Romman matters have alwas had a

 peculiar interest for me- nothing! however! connected with %ps

life ever more captivated m imagination than this patteran sstem"man thanks to the %psies for it- it has more than once been ofservice to me.

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The English %psies at the present da are far from being anumerous race- I consider their aggregate number! from the

opportunities which I have had of (udging! to be considerabl underten thousand" it is probable that! ere the conclusion of the

 present centur! the will have entirel disappeared. The are ingeneral 'uite strangers to the commonest rudiments of education-

few even of the most wealth can either read or write. *ith

respect to religion! the call themselves members of theEstablished Church! and are generall an+ious to have theirchildren bapti<ed! and to obtain a cop of the register. #ome of

their baptismal papers! which the carr about with them! arehighl curious! going back for a period of upwards of two hundred

ears. *ith respect to the essential points of religion! the are

'uite careless and ignorant- if the believe in a future state the

dread it not! and if the manifest when ding an an+iet! it isnot for the soul! but the bod" a handsome coffin! and a grave in

a 'uiet countr churchard! are invariabl the ob(ects of theirlast thoughts- and it is probable that! in their observance of the

rite of baptism! the are principall influenced b a desire toen(o the privilege of burial in consecrated ground. A %ps

famil never speak of their dead save with regret and affection!and an re'uest of the ding individual is attended to! especiall

with regard to interment- so much so! that I have known a corpseconveed a distance of nearl one hundred miles! because the

deceased e+pressed a wish to be buried in a particular spot.

&f the language of the English %psies! some specimens will begiven in the se'uel- it is much more pure and copious than the

#panish dialect. It has been asserted that the English %psies arenot possessed of an poetr in their own tongue- but this is a

gross error- the possess a great man songs and ballads uponordinar sub(ects! without an particular merit! however! and

seemingl of a ver modern date.

T1E %P#IE# &F T1E EA#T! &R 6I0%ARRI

*hat has been said of the %psies of Europe is! to a considerablee+tent! applicable to their brethren in the East! or! as the are

called! 6ingarri- the are either found wandering amongst thedeserts or mountains! or settled in towns! supporting themselves b

horse$dealing or (uggler! b music and song. In no part of theEast are the more numerous than in Turke! especiall in

Constantinople! where the females fre'uentl enter the harems ofthe great! pretending to cure children of )the evil ee!) and to

interpret the dreams of the women. The are not unfre'uentl seenin the coffee$houses! e+hibiting their figures in lascivious dances

to the tune of various instruments- et these females are b nomeans unchaste! however their manners and appearance ma denote the

contrar! and either Turk or Christian who! stimulated b theirsongs and voluptuous movements! should address them with proposals

of a dishonourable nature! would! in all probabilit! meet with adecided repulse.

Among the 6ingarri are not a few who deal in precious stones! andsome who vend poisons- and the most remarkable individual whom it

has been m fortune to encounter amongst the %psies! whether of

the Eastern or *estern world! was a person who dealt in both these

articles. 1e was a native of Constantinople! and in the pursuit ofhis trade had visited the most remote and remarkable portions ofthe world. 1e had traversed alone and on foot the greatest part of

India- he spoke several dialects of the /ala! and understood the

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original language of ;ava! that isle more fertile in poisons thaneven )far Iolchos and #pain.) From what I could learn from him! it

appeared that his (ewels were in less re'uest than his drugs!though he assured me that there was scarcel a ,e or #atrap in

Persia or Turke whom he had not supplied with both. I have seenthis individual in more countries than one! for he flits over the

world like the shadow of a cloud- the last time at %ranada in

#pain! whither he had come after paing a visit to his %itano brethren in the presidio of Ceuta.

Few Eastern authors have spoken of the 6ingarri! notwithstandingthe have been known in the East for man centuries- amongst the

few! none has made more curious mention of them than Arabschah! in

a chapter of his life of Timour or Tamerlane! which is deservedl

considered as one of the three classic works of Arabian literature.This passage! which! while it serves to illustrate the craft! if

not the valour of the con'ueror of half the world! offers somecurious particulars as to %ps life in the East at a remote

 period! will scarcel be considered out of place if reproducedhere! and the following is as close a translation of it as the

metaphorical stle of the original will allow.

)There were in #amarcand numerous families of 6ingarri of variousdescriptions" some were wrestlers! others gladiators! others

 pugilists. These people were much at variance! so that hostilitiesand battling were continuall arising amongst them. Each band had

its chief and subordinate officers- and it came to pass that Timourand the power which he possessed filled them with dread! for the

knew that he was aware of their crimes and disorderl wa of life. 0ow it was the custom of Timour! on departing upon his e+peditions!

to leave a vicero in #amarcand- but no sooner had he left thecit! than forth marched these bands! and giving battle to the

vicero! deposed him and took possession of the government! so that

on the return of Timour he found order broken! confusion reigning!and his throne overturned! and then he had much to do in restoring

things to their former state! and in punishing or pardoning the

guilt- but no sooner did he depart again to his wars! and to hisvarious other concerns! than the broke out into the same e+cesses!

and this the repeated no less than three times! and he at lengthlaid a plan for their utter e+termination! and it was the

following"$ 1e commenced building a wall! and he summoned unto himthe people small and great! and he allotted to ever man his place!

and to ever workman his dut! and he stationed the 6ingarri andtheir chieftains apart- and in one particular spot he placed a band

of soldiers! and he commanded them to kill whomsoever he shouldsend to them- and having done so! he called to him the heads of the

 people! and he filled the cup for them and clothed them in splendidvests- and when the turn came to the 6ingarri! he likewise pledged

one of them! and bestowed a vest upon him! and sent him with amessage to the soldiers! who! as soon as he arrived! tore from him

his vest! and stabbed him! pouring forth the gold of his heart intothe pan of destruction! =>? and in this wa the continued until

the last of them was destroed- and b that blow he e+terminatedtheir race! and their traces! and from that time forward there were

no more rebellions in #amarcand.)

It has of late ears been one of the favourite theories of the

learned! that Timour)s invasion of 1indostan! and the cruelties

committed b his savage hordes in that part of the world! caused a

vast number of 1indoos to abandon their native land! and that the%psies of the present da are the descendants of those e+iles whowended their wear wa to the *est. 0ow! provided the above

 passage in the work of Arabschah be entitled to credence! the

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opinion that Timour was the cause of the e+patriation andsubse'uent wandering life of these people! must be abandoned as

untenable. At the time he is stated b the Arabian writer to haveannihilated the %ps hordes of #amarcand! he had but (ust

commenced his career of con'uest and devastation! and had not evendirected his thoughts to the invasion of India- et at this earl

 period of the histor of his life! we find families of 6ingarri

established at #amarcand! living much in the same manner as othersof the race have subse'uentl done in various towns of Europe andthe East- but supposing the event here narrated to be a fable! or

at best a floating legend! it appears singular that! if the lefttheir native land to escape from Timour! the should never have

mentioned in the *estern world the name of that scourge of the

human race! nor detailed the histor of their flight and

sufferings! which assuredl would have procured them smpath- theravages of Timour being alread but too well known in Europe. That

the came from India is much easier to prove than that the fled before the fierce /ongol.

#uch people as the %psies! whom the ,ishop of Forli in the ear

>@@! onl si+teen ears subse'uent to the invasion of India!describes as a )raging rabble! of brutal and animal propensities!)

=>D? are not such as generall abandon their countr on foreigninvasion.

T1E 6I0CA7I &R A0 ACC&30T &F T1E %P#IE# &F #PAI0 $ PART I

C1APTER I

%ITA0&#! or Egptians! is the name b which the %psies have been

most generall known in #pain! in the ancient as well as in themodern period! but various other names have been and still are

applied to them- for e+ample! 0ew Castilians! %ermans! andFlemings- the first of which titles probabl originated after the

name of %itano had begun to be considered a term of reproach andinfam. The ma have thus designated themselves from an

unwillingness to utter! when speaking of themselves! the detestede+pression )%itano!) a word which seldom escapes their mouths- or

it ma have been applied to them first b the #paniards! in theirmutual dealings and communication! as a term less calculated to

wound their feelings and to beget a spirit of animosit than theother- but! however it might have originated! 0ew Castilian! in

course of time! became a term of little less infam than %itano-for! b the law of Philip the Fourth! both terms are forbidden to

 be applied to them under severe penalties.

That the were called %ermans! ma be accounted for! either b thesupposition that their generic name of Romman was misunderstood

and mispronounced b the #paniards amongst whom the came! or from

the fact of their having passed through %erman in their wa to thesouth! and bearing passports and letters of safet from the various

%erman states. The title of Flemings! b which at the present da

the are known in various parts of #pain! would probabl never have

 been bestowed upon them but from the circumstance of their having been designated or believed to be %ermans! $ as %erman and Flemingare considered b the ignorant as snonmous terms.

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Amongst themselves the have three words to distinguish them andtheir race in general" 6incalo! Romano! and Chai- of the first two

of which something has been alread said.

The likewise call themselves )Cales!) b which appellation indeedthe are tolerabl well known b the #paniards! and which is merel

the plural termination of the compound word 6incalo! and signifies!

The black men. Chai is a modification of the word Chal! which! bthe %itanos of Estremadura! is applied to Egpt! and in man partsof #pain is e'uivalent to )1eaven!) and which is perhaps a

modification of )Cheros!) the word for heaven in other dialects ofthe %ps language. Thus Chai ma denote! The men of Egpt! or!

The sons of 1eaven. It is! however! right to observe! that amongst

the %itanos! the word Chai has fre'uentl no other signification

than the simple one of )children.)

It is impossible to state for certaint the e+act ear of theirfirst appearance in #pain- but it is reasonable to presume that it

was earl in the fifteenth centur- as in the ear >> numerous bands entered France from the north$east of Europe! and speedil

spread themselves over the greatest part of that countr. &f thesewanderers a French author has left the following graphic

description" =>?

)&n the >th of April >@! appeared in Paris twelve penitents ofEgpt! driven from thence b the #aracens- the brought in their

compan one hundred and twent persons- the took up their 'uartersin 7a Chapelle! whither the people flocked in crowds to visit them.

The had their ears pierced! from which depended a ring of silver-their hair was black and crisp! and their women were filth to a

degree! and were sorceresses who told fortunes.)

#uch were the people who! after traversing France and scaling the

sides of the Prenees! poured down in various bands upon thesunburnt plains of #pain. *herever the had appeared the had been

looked upon as a curse and a pestilence! and with much reason.

Either unwilling or unable to devote themselves to an laborious oruseful occupation! the came like flights of wasps to pre upon the

fruits which their more industrious fellow$beings amassed b thetoil of their hands and the sweat of their foreheads- the natural

result being! that wherever the arrived! their fellow$creatures banded themselves against them. Terrible laws were enacted soon

after their appearance in France! calculated to put a stop to theirfrauds and dishonest propensities- wherever their hordes were

found! the were attacked b the incensed rustics or b the armedhand of (ustice! and those who were not massacred on the spot! or

could not escape b flight! were! without a shadow of a trial!either hanged on the ne+t tree! or sent to serve for life in the

galles- or if females or children! either scourged or mutilated.

The conse'uence of this severit! which! considering the mannersand spirit of the time! is scarcel to be wondered at! was the

speed disappearance of the %psies from the soil of France.

/an returned b the wa the came! to %erman! 1ungar! and the

woods and forests of ,ohemia- but there is little doubt that b farthe greater portion found a refuge in the Peninsula! a countr

which! though b no means so rich and fertile as the one the had

'uitted! nor offering so wide and read a field for the e+ercise of

those fraudulent arts for which their race had become so infamouslnotorious! was! nevertheless! in man respects! suitable andcongenial to them. If there were less gold and silver in the

 purses of the citi<ens to reward the de+terous handler of the knife

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and scissors amidst the crowd in the market$place- if fewer sidesof fatted swine graced the ample chimne of the labourer in #pain

than in the neighbouring countr- if fewer beeves bellowed in the plains! and fewer sheep bleated upon the hills! there were far

 better opportunities afforded of indulging in wild independence.#hould the halberded bands of the cit be ordered out to 'uell!

sei<e! or e+terminate them- should the alcalde of the village cause

the tocsin to be rung! gathering together the villanos for asimilar purpose! the wild sierra was generall at hand! which! withits winding paths! its caves! its frowning precipices! and ragged

thickets! would offer to them a secure refuge where the mightlaugh to scorn the rage of their baffled pursuers! and from which

the might emerge either to fresh districts or to those which the

had left! to repeat their ravages when opportunit served.

After crossing the Prenees! a ver short time elapsed before the

%ps hordes had bivouacked in the principal provinces of #pain.There can indeed be little doubt! that shortl after their arrival

the made themselves perfectl ac'uainted with all the secrets ofthe land! and that there was scarcel a nook or retired corner

within #pain! from which the smoke of their fires had not arisen!or where their cattle had not gra<ed. People! however! so acute as

the have alwas proverbiall been! would scarcel be slow indistinguishing the provinces most adapted to their manner of life!

and most calculated to afford them opportunities of practisingthose arts to which the were mainl indebted for their

subsistence- the savage hills of ,isca! of %alicia! and theAsturias! whose inhabitants were almost as poor as themselves!

which possessed no superior breed of horses or mules from amongstwhich the might pick and purloin man a gallant beast! and having

transformed b their de+terous scissors! impose him again upon hisrightful master for a high price! $ such provinces! where!

moreover! provisions were hard to be obtained! even b pilfering

hands! could scarcel be supposed to offer strong temptations tothese roving visitors to settle down in! or to ve+ and harass b a

long so(ourn.

8alencia and /urcia found far more favour in their ees- a far more

fertile soil! and wealthier inhabitants! were better calculated toentice them- there was a prospect of plunder! and likewise a

 prospect of safet and refuge! should the dogs of (ustice be rousedagainst them. If there were the populous town and village in those

lands! there was likewise the lone waste! and uncultivated spot! towhich the could retire when danger threatened them. #till more

suitable to them must have been 7a /ancha! a land of tillage! ofhorses! and of mules! skirted b its brown sierra! ever eager to

afford its shelter to their dusk race. E'uall suitable!Estremadura and 0ew Castile- but far! far more! Andalusia! with its

three kingdoms! ;aen! %ranada! and #eville! one of which was still possessed b the swarth /oor! $ Andalusia! the land of the proud

steed and the stubborn mule! the land of the savage sierra and thefruitful and cultivated plain" to Andalusia the hied! in bands of

thirties and si+ties- the hoofs of their asses might be heardclattering in the passes of the ston hills- the girls might be

seen bounding in lascivious dance in the streets of man a town!

and the beldames standing beneath the eaves telling the )buenaventura) to man a credulous female dupe- the men the while

chaffered in the fair and market$place with the labourers and

chalanes! casting significant glances on each other! or e+changing

a word or two in Romman! whilst the placed some uncouth animal ina particular posture which served to conceal its ugliness from theees of the chapman. es! of all provinces of #pain! Andalusia was

the most fre'uented b the %itano race! and in Andalusia the most

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abound at the present da! though no longer as restless independentwanderers of the fields and hills! but as residents in villages and

towns! especiall in #eville.

C1APTER II

1A8I0% alread stated to the reader at what period and b whatmeans these wanderers introduced themselves into #pain! we shall

now sa something concerning their manner of life.

It would appear that! for man ears after their arrival in thePeninsula! their manners and habits underwent no change- the were

wanderers! in the strictest sense of the word! and lived much inthe same wa as their brethren e+ist in the present da in England!

Russia! and ,essarabia! with the e+ception perhaps of being morereckless! mischievous! and having less respect for the laws- it is

true that their superiorit in wickedness in these points ma have been more the effect of the moral state of the countr in which

the were! than of an other operating cause.

Arriving in #pain with a predisposition to ever species of crimeand villain! the were not likel to be improved or reclaimed b

the e+ample of the people with whom the were about to mi+- nor wasit probable that the would entertain much respect for laws which!

from time immemorial! have principall served! not to protect thehonest and useful members of societ! but to enrich those entrusted

with the administration of them. Thus! if the came thieves! itis not probable that the would become ashamed of the title of

thief in #pain! where the officers of (ustice were ever willing to

shield an offender on receiving the largest portion of the bootobtained. If on their arrival the held the lives of others in

ver low estimation! could it be e+pected that the would become

gentle as lambs in a land where blood had its price! and theshedder was seldom e+ecuted unless he was poor and friendless! and

unable to cram with ounces of ellow gold the greed hands of the pursuers of blood! $ the algua<il and escribano4 therefore! if the

#panish %psies have been more blood and more wolfishl eager inthe pursuit of boot than those of their race in most other

regions! the cause must be attributed to their residence in acountr unsound in ever branch of its civil polit! where right

has ever been in less esteem! and wrong in less disrepute! than inan other part of the world.

1owever! if the moral state of #pain was not calculated to have a

favourable effect on the habits and pursuits of the %psies! theirmanners were as little calculated to operate beneficiall! in an

 point of view! on the countr where the had latel arrived.5ivided into numerous bodies! fre'uentl formidable in point of

number! their presence was an evil and a curse in whatever 'uarterthe directed their steps. As might be e+pected! the labourers!

who in all countries are the most honest! most useful! and

meritorious class! were the principal sufferers- their mules andhorses were stolen! carried awa to distant fairs! and there

disposed of! perhaps! to individuals destined to be deprived of

them in a similar manner- whilst their flocks of sheep and goats

were laid under re'uisition to assuage the hungr cravings of thesethievish cormorants.

It was not uncommon for a large band or tribe to encamp in the

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vicinit of a remote village scantil peopled! and to remain thereuntil! like a flight of locusts! the had consumed everthing which

the inhabitants possessed for their support- or until the werescared awa b the approach of (ustice! or b an arm of rustics

assembled from the surrounding countr. Then would ensue thehurried march- the women and children! mounted on lean but spirited

asses! would scour along the plains fleeter than the wind- ragged

and savage$looking men! wielding the scourge and goad! wouldscamper b their side or close behind! whilst perhaps a small parton strong horses! armed with rust matchlocks or sabres! would

 bring up the rear! threatening the distant foe! and now and thensaluting them with a hoarse blast from the %ps horn"$

)&! when I sit m courser bold!/ bantling in m rear!

And in m hand m musket hold $& how the 'uake with fear:)

7et us for a moment suppose some unfortunate traveller! mounted ona handsome mule or beast of some value! meeting! unarmed and alone!

such a rabble rout at the close of eve! in the wildest part! fore+ample! of 7a /ancha- we will suppose that he is (ourneing from

#eville to /adrid! and that he has left at a considerable distance behind him the gloom and horrible passes of the #ierra /orena- his

 bosom! which for some time past has been contracted with dreadfulforebodings! is beginning to e+pand- his blood! which has been

congealed in his veins! is beginning to circulate warml andfreel- he is fondl anticipating the still distant posada and

savour omelet. The sun is sinking rapidl behind the savage anduncouth hills in his rear- he has reached the bottom of a small

valle! where runs a rivulet at which he allows his tired animal to

drink- he is about to ascend the side of the hill- his ees areturned upwards- suddenl he beholds strange and uncouth forms at

the top of the ascent $ the sun descending slants its ras upon red

cloaks! with here and there a turbaned head! or long streaminghair. The traveller hesitates! but reflecting that he is no longer

in the mountains! and that in the open road there is no danger of banditti! he advances. In a moment he is in the midst of the %ps

group! in a moment there is a general halt- fier ees are turnedupon him replete with an e+pression which onl the ees of the Roma

 possess! then ensues a (abber in a language or (argon which isstrange to the ears of the traveller- at last an ugl urchin

springs from the crupper of a halting mule! and in a lisping accententreats charit in the name of the 8irgin and the /a(oro. The

traveller! with a faltering hand! produces his purse! and is proceeding to loosen its strings! but he accomplishes not his

 purpose! for! struck violentl b a huge knotted club in an unseenhand! he tumbles headlong from his mule. 0e+t morning a naked

corse! besmeared with brains and blood! is found b an arriero- andwithin a week a simple cross records the event! according to the

custom of #pain.

),elow there in the dusk pass*as wrought a murder dread-

The murdered fell upon the grass!

Awa the murderer fled.)

To man! such a scene! as above described! will appear purel

imaginar! or at least a mass of e+aggeration! but man such

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In no part of the world are the found engaged in the cultivationof the earth! or in the service of a regular master- but in all

lands the are (ockes! or thieves! or cheats- and if ever thedevote themselves to an toil or trade! it is assuredl in ever

material point one and the same. *e have found them above! in theheart of a wild mountain! hammering iron! and manufacturing from it

instruments either for their own use or that of the neighbouring

towns and villages. The ma be seen emploed in a similar mannerin the plains of Russia! or in the bosom of its eternal forests-and whoever inspects the site where a horde of %psies has

encamped! in the grass lanes beneath the ha<el bushes of merrEngland! is generall sure to find relics of tin and other metal!

avouching that the have there been e+ercising the arts of the

tinker or smith. Perhaps nothing speaks more forcibl for the

anti'uit of this sect or caste than the tenacit with which thehave uniforml preserved their peculiar customs since the period of

their becoming generall known- for! unless their habits had becomea part of their nature! which could onl have been effected b a

strict devotion to them through a long succession of generations!it is not to be supposed that after their arrival in civilised

Europe the would have retained and cherished them precisel in thesame manner in the various countries where the found an aslum.

Each band or famil of the #panish %psies had its Captain! or! as

he was generall designated! its Count. 5on ;uan de uinones! who!in a small volume published in >B@! has written some details

respecting their wa of life! sas" )The roam about! divided intofamilies and troops! each of which has its head or Count- and to

fill this office the choose the most valiant and courageousindividual amongst them! and the one endowed with the greatest

strength. 1e must at the same time be craft and sagacious! andadapted in ever respect to govern them. It is he who settles

their differences and disputes! even when the are residing in a

 place where there is a regular (ustice. 1e heads them at nightwhen the go out to plunder the flocks! or to rob travellers on the

highwa- and whatever the steal or plunder the divide amongst

them! alwas allowing the captain a third part of the whole.)

These Counts! being elected for such 'ualities as promised to beuseful to their troop or famil! were conse'uentl liable to be

deposed if at an time their conduct was not calculated to affordsatisfaction to their sub(ects. The office was not hereditar! and

though it carried along with it partial privileges! was bothtoilsome and dangerous. #hould the plans for plunder! which it was

the dut of the Count to form! miscarr in the attempt to e+ecutethem- should individuals of the gang fall into the hand of (ustice!

and the Count be unable to devise a method to save their lives orobtain their libert! the blame was cast at the Count)s door! and

he was in considerable danger of being deprived of his insignia ofauthorit! which consisted not so much in ornaments or in dress! as

in hawks and hounds with which the #enor Count took the diversionof hunting when he thought proper. As the ground which he hunted

over was not his own! he incurred some danger of coming in contactwith the lord of the soil! attended! perhaps! b his armed

followers. There is a tradition =rather apocrphal! it is true?!

that a %itano chief! once pursuing this amusement! was encountered b a real Count! who is stled Count Pepe. An engagement ensued

 between the two parties! which ended in the %psies being worsted!

and their chief left ding on the field. The slain chief leaves a

son! who! at the instigation of his mother! steals the infant heirof his father)s enem! who! reared up amongst the %psies! becomesa chief! and! in process of time! hunting over the same ground!

slas Count Pepe in the ver spot where the blood of the %ps had

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 been poured out. This tradition is alluded to in the followingstan<a"$

)I have a gallant mare in stall-/ mother gave that mare

That I might seek Count Pepe)s hall

And steal his son and heir.)

/artin 5el Rio! in his TRACTAT3# 5E /A%IA! speaks of the %psiesand their Counts to the following effect" )*hen! in the ear >DG!

I was marching in #pain with the regiment! a multitude of these

wretches were infesting the fields. It happened that the feast of

Corpus 5omini was being celebrated! and the re'uested to beadmitted into the town! that the might dance in honour of the

sacrifice! as was customar- the did so! but about midda a greattumult arose owing to the man thefts which the women committed!

whereupon the fled out of the suburbs! and assembled about #t./ark)s! the magnificent mansion and hospital of the knights of #t.

;ames! where the ministers of (ustice attempting to sei<e them wererepulsed b force of arms- nevertheless! all of a sudden! and I

know not how! everthing was hushed up. At this time the had aCount! a fellow who spoke the Castilian idiom with as much purit

as if he had been a native of Toledo- he was ac'uainted with allthe ports of #pain! and all the difficult and broken ground of the

 provinces. 1e knew the e+act strength of ever cit! and who werethe principal people in each! and the e+act amount of their

 propert- there was nothing relating to the state! however secret!that he was not ac'uainted with- nor did he make a mster of his

knowledge! but publicl boasted of it.)

From the passage 'uoted above! we learn that the %itanos in the

ancient times were considered as foreigners who prowled about thecountr- indeed! in man of the laws which at various times have

 been promulgated against them! the are spoken of as Egptians! and

as such commanded to leave #pain! and return to their nativecountr- at one time the undoubtedl were foreigners in #pain!

foreigners b birth! foreigners b language but at the time theare mentioned b the worth 5el Rio! the were certainl not

entitled to the appellation. True it is that the spoke a languageamongst themselves! unintelligible to the rest of the #paniards!

from whom the differed considerabl in feature and comple+ion! asthe still do- but if being born in a countr! and being bred

there! constitute a right to be considered a native of thatcountr! the had as much claim to the appellation of #paniards as

the worth author himself. 5el Rio mentions! as a remarkablecircumstance! the fact of the %ps Count speaking Castilian with

as much purit as a native of Toledo! whereas it is b no meansimprobable that the individual in 'uestion was a native of that

town- but the truth is! at the time we are speaking of! the weregenerall believed to be not onl foreigners! but b means of

sorcer to have ac'uired the power of speaking all languages withe'ual facilit- and 5el Rio! who was a believer in magic! and wrote

one of the most curious and erudite treatises on the sub(ect ever

 penned! had perhaps adopted that idea! which possibl originatedfrom their speaking most of the languages and dialects of the

Peninsula! which the picked up in their wanderings. That the

%ps chief was so well ac'uainted with ever town of #pain! and

the broken and difficult ground! can cause but little surprise!when we reflect that the life which the %psies led was one aboveall others calculated to afford them that knowledge. The were

continuall at variance with (ustice- the were fre'uentl obliged

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to seek shelter in the inmost recesses of the hills- and when theirthievish pursuits led them to the cities! the naturall made

themselves ac'uainted with the names of the principal individuals!in hopes of plundering them. 5oubtless the chief possessed all

this species of knowledge in a superior degree! as it was hiscourage! acuteness! and e+perience alone which placed him at the

head of his tribe! though 5el Rio from this circumstance wishes to

infer that the %itanos were spies sent b foreign foes! and withsome simplicit in'uires! )uo ant cui rei haec curiosa e+ploratio4nonne compescenda vagamundorum haec curiositas! etiam si solum

 peregrini et inculpatae vitae.)

*ith the Counts rested the management and direction of these

remarkable societies- it was the who determined their marches!

counter$marches! advances! and retreats- what was to be attemptedor avoided- what individuals were to be admitted into the

fellowship and privileges of the %itanos! or who were to bee+cluded from their societ- the settled disputes and sat in

 (udgment over offences. The greatest crimes! according to the%ps code! were a 'uarrelsome disposition! and revealing the

secrets of the brotherhood. , this code the members wereforbidden to eat! drink! or sleep in the house of a ,usno! which

signifies an person who is not of the sect of the %psies! or tomarr out of that sect- the were likewise not to teach the

language of Roma to an but those who! b birth or inauguration! belonged to that sect- the were en(oined to relieve their brethren

in distress at an e+pense or peril- the were to use a peculiardress! which is fre'uentl alluded to in the #panish laws! but the

 particulars of which are not stated- and the were to cultivate thegift of speech to the utmost possible e+tent! and never to lose

anthing which might be obtained b a loose and deceiving tongue!to encourage which the had man e+cellent proverbs! for e+ample $

)The poor fool who closes his mouth never winneth a dollar.)

)The river which runneth with sound bears along with it stones and

water.)

C1APTER III

T1E %itanos not unfre'uentl made their appearance in considerablenumbers! so as to be able to bid defiance to an force which could

 be assembled against them on a sudden- whole districts thus becamea pre to them! and were plundered and devastated.

It is said that! in the ear >>G! more than eight hundred of these

wretches scoured the countr between Castile and Aragon! committingthe most enormous crimes. The roal council despatched regular

troops against them! who e+perienced some difficult in dispersingthem.

,ut we now proceed to touch upon an event which forms an era in thehistor of the %itanos of #pain! and which for wildness and

singularit throws all other events connected with them and their

race! wherever found! entirel into the shade.

T1E ,&&9#E77ER &F 7&%R&0&

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About the middle of the si+teenth centur! there resided one

Francisco Alvare< in the cit of 7ogrono! the chief town of Rio(a!a province which borders on Aragon. 1e was a man above the middle

age! sober! reserved! and in general absorbed in thought- he livednear the great church! and obtained a livelihood b selling printed

 books and manuscripts in a small shop. 1e was a ver learned man!

and was continuall reading in the books which he was in the habitof selling! and some of these books were in foreign tongues andcharacters! so foreign! indeed! that none but himself and some of

his friends! the canons! could understand them- he was much visited b the clerg! who were his principal customers! and took much

 pleasure in listening to his discourse.

1e had been a considerable traveller in his outh! and had wanderedthrough all #pain! visiting the various provinces and the most

remarkable cities. It was likewise said that he had visited Italand ,arbar. 1e was! however! invariabl silent with respect to

his travels! and whenever the sub(ect was mentioned to him! thegloom and melanchol increased which usuall clouded his features.

&ne da! in the commencement of autumn! he was visited b a priest

with whom he had long been intimate! and for whom he had alwasdisplaed a greater respect and liking than for an other

ac'uaintance. The ecclesiastic found him even more sad than usual!and there was a haggard paleness upon his countenance which alarmed

his visitor. The good priest made affectionate in'uiriesrespecting the health of his friend! and whether anthing had of

late occurred to give him uneasiness- adding at the same time! thathe had long suspected that some secret la heav upon his mind!

which he now con(ured him to reveal! as life was uncertain! and itwas ver possible that he might be 'uickl summoned from earth into

the presence of his /aker.

The bookseller continued for some time in gloom meditation! till

at last he broke silence in these words"$ )It is true I have a

secret which weighs heav upon m mind! and which I am still lothto reveal- but I have a presentiment that m end is approaching!

and that a heav misfortune is about to fall upon this cit" Iwill therefore unburden mself! for it were now a sin to remain

silent.

)I am! as ou are aware! a native of this town! which I first leftwhen I went to ac'uire an education at #alamanca- I continued there

until I became a licentiate! when I 'uitted the universit andstrolled through #pain! supporting mself in general b touching

the guitar! according to the practice of penniless students- madventures were numerous! and I fre'uentl e+perienced great

 povert. &nce! whilst making m wa from Toledo to Andalusiathrough the wild mountains! I fell in with and was made captive b

a band of the people called %itanos! or wandering Egptians- thein general lived amongst these wilds! and plundered or murdered

ever person whom the met. I should probabl have beenassassinated b them! but m skill in music perhaps saved m life.

I continued with them a considerable time! till at last the

 persuaded me to become one of them! whereupon I was inauguratedinto their societ with man strange and horrid ceremonies! and

having thus become a %itano! I went with them to plunder and

assassinate upon the roads.

)The Count or head man of these %itanos had an onl daughter! aboutm own age- she was ver beautiful! but! at the same time!

e+ceedingl strong and robust- this %itana was given to me as a

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wife or cad(ee! and I lived with her several ears! and she bore mechildren.

)/ wife was an arrant %itana! and in her all the wickedness of her

race seemed to be concentrated. At last her father was killed inan affra with the troopers of the 1ermandad! whereupon m wife and

mself succeeded to the authorit which he had formerl e+ercised

in the tribe. *e had at first loved each other! but at last the%itano life! with its accompaning wickedness! becoming hateful tom ees! m wife! who was not slow in perceiving m altered

disposition! conceived for me the most deadl hatred- apprehendingthat I meditated withdrawing mself from the societ! and perhaps

 betraing the secrets of the band! she formed a conspirac against

me! and! at one time! being opposite the /oorish coast! I was

sei<ed and bound b the other %itanos! conveed across the sea! anddelivered as a slave into the hands of the /oors.

)I continued for a long time in slaver in various parts of /orocco

and Fe<! until I was at length redeemed from m state of bondage ba missionar friar who paid m ransom. *ith him I shortl after

departed for Ital! of which he was a native. In that countr Iremained some ears! until a longing to revisit m native land

sei<ed me! when I returned to #pain and established mself here!where I have since lived b vending books! man of which I brought

from the strange lands which I visited. I kept m histor!however! a profound secret! being afraid of e+posing mself to the

laws in force against the %itanos! to which I should instantl become amenable! were it once known that I had at an time been a

member of this detestable sect.

)/ present wretchedness! of which ou have demanded the cause!dates from esterda- I had been on a short (ourne to the

Augustine convent! which stands on the plain in the direction of

#aragossa! carring with me an Arabian book! which a learned monkwas desirous of seeing. 0ight overtook me ere I could return. I

speedil lost m wa! and wandered about until I came near a

dilapidated edifice with which I was ac'uainted- I was about to proceed in the direction of the town! when I heard voices within

the ruined walls- I listened! and recognised the language of theabhorred %itanos- I was about to fl! when a word arrested me. It

was 5rao! which in their tongue signifies the horrid poison withwhich this race are in the habit of destroing the cattle- the now

said that the men of 7ogrono should rue the 5rao which the had been casting. I heard no more! but fled. *hat increased m fear

was! that in the words spoken! I thought I recognised the peculiar (argon of m own tribe- I repeat! that I believe some horrible

misfortune is overhanging this cit! and that m own das arenumbered.)

The priest! having conversed with him for some time upon particular

 points of the histor that he had related! took his leave! advisinghim to compose his spirits! as he saw no reason wh he should

indulge in such gloom forebodings.

The ver ne+t da a sickness broke out in the town of 7ogrono. It

was one of a peculiar kind- unlike most others! it did not arise bslow and gradual degrees! but at once appeared in full violence! in

the shape of a terrific epidemic. 5i<<iness in the head was the

first smptom" then convulsive retchings! followed b a dreadful

struggle between life and death! which generall terminated infavour of the grim destroer. The bodies! after the spirit whichanimated them had taken flight! were frightfull swollen! and

e+hibited a dark blue colour! checkered with crimson spots.

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 0othing was heard within the houses or the streets! but groans ofagon- no remed was at hand! and the powers of medicine were

e+hausted in vain upon this terrible pest- so that within a fewdas the greatest part of the inhabitants of 7ogrono had perished.

The bookseller had not been seen since the commencement of thisfrightful visitation.

&nce! at the dead of night! a knock was heard at the door of the priest! of whom we have alread spoken- the priest himselfstaggered to the door! and opened it! $ he was the onl one who

remained alive in the house! and was himself slowl recovering fromthe malad which had destroed all the other inmates- a wild

spectral$looking figure presented itself to his ee $ it was his

friend Alvare<. ,oth went into the house! when the bookseller!

glancing gloomil on the wasted features of the priest! e+claimed!)ou too! I see! amongst others! have cause to rue the 5rao which

the %itanos have cast. 9now!) he continued! )that in order toaccomplish a detestable plan! the fountains of 7ogrono have been

 poisoned b emissaries of the roving bands! who are now assembledin the neighbourhood. &n the first appearance of the disorder!

from which I happil escaped b tasting the water of a privatefountain! which I possess in m own house! I instantl recognised

the effects of the poison of the %itanos! brought b theirancestors from the isles of the Indian sea- and suspecting their

intentions! I disguised mself as a %itano! and went forth in thehope of being able to act as a sp upon their actions. I have been

successful! and am at present thoroughl ac'uainted with theirdesigns. The intended! from the first! to sack the town! as soon

as it should have been emptied of its defenders.

)/idda! to$morrow! is the hour in which the have determined tomake the attempt. There is no time to be lost- let us! therefore!

warn those of our townsmen who still survive! in order that the

ma make preparations for their defence.)

*hereupon the two friends proceeded to the chief magistrate! who

had been but slightl affected b the disorder- he heard the taleof the bookseller with horror and astonishment! and instantl took

the best measures possible for frustrating the designs of the%itanos- all the men capable of bearing arms in 7ogrono were

assembled! and weapons of ever description put in their hands. ,the advice of the bookseller all the gates of the town were shut!

with the e+ception of the principal one- and the little band ofdefenders! which barel amounted to si+t men! was stationed in the

great s'uare! to which! he said! it was the intention of the%itanos to penetrate in the first instance! and then! dividing

themselves into various parties! to sack the place. The booksellerwas! b general desire! constituted leader of the guardians of the

town.

It was considerabl past noon- the sk was overcast! and tempestclouds! fraught with lightning and thunder! were hanging black and

horrid over the town of 7ogrono. The little troop! resting ontheir arms! stood awaiting the arrival of their unnatural enemies-

rage fired their minds as the thought of the deaths of their

fathers! their sons! and their dearest relatives! who had perished!not b the hand of %od! but! like infected cattle! b the hellish

arts of Egptian sorcerers. The longed for their appearance!

determined to wreak upon them a blood revenge- not a word was

uttered! and profound silence reigned around! onl interrupted bthe occasional muttering of the thunder$clouds. #uddenl! Alvare<!who had been intentl listening! raised his hand with a significant

gesture- presentl! a sound was heard $ a rustling like the waving

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of trees! or the rushing of distant water- it graduall increased!and seemed to proceed from the narrow street which led from the

 principal gate into the s'uare. All ees were turned in thatdirection. . . .

That night there was repi'ue or ringing of bells in the towers of

7ogrono! and the few priests who had escaped from the pestilence

sang litanies to %od and the 8irgin for the salvation of the townfrom the hands of the heathen. The attempt of the %itanos had beenmost signall defeated! and the great s'uare and the street were

strewn with their corpses. &h: what frightful ob(ects" there lagrim men more black than mulattos! with fur and rage in their

stiffened features- wild women in e+traordinar dresses! their

hair! black and long as the tail of the horse! spread all

dishevelled upon the ground- and gaunt and naked children graspingknives and daggers in their tin hands. &f the patriotic troop not

one appeared to have fallen- and when! after their enemies hadretreated with howlings of fiendish despair! the told their

numbers! onl one man was missing! who was never seen again! andthat man was Alvare<.

In the midst of the combat! the tempest! which had for a long time

 been gathering! burst over 7ogrono! in lightning! thunder!darkness! and vehement hail.

A man of the town asserted that the last time he had seen Alvare<!

the latter was far in advance of his companions! defending himselfdesperatel against three powerful oung heathen! who seemed to be

acting under the direction of a tall woman who stood nigh! coveredwith barbaric ornaments! and wearing on her head a rude silver

crown. =>G?

#uch is the tale of the ,ookseller of 7ogrono! and such is the

narrative of the attempt of the %itanos to sack the town in thetime of pestilence! which is alluded to b man #panish authors!

 but more particularl b the learned Francisco de Cordova! in his

5I5A#CA7IA! one of the most curious and instructive books withinthe circle of universal literature.

C1APTER I8

T1E /oors! after their sub(ugation! and previous to their e+pulsion

from #pain! generall resided apart! principall in the suburbs ofthe towns! where the kept each other in countenance! being hated

and despised b the #paniards! and persecuted on all occasions. ,this means the preserved! to a certain e+tent! the Arabic

language! though the use of it was strictl forbidden! andencouraged each other in the secret e+ercise of the rites of the

/ohammedan religion! so that! until the moment of their finale+pulsion! the continued /oors in almost ever sense of the word.

#uch places were called /orerias! or 'uarters of the /oors.

In like manner there were %itanerias! or 'uarters of the %itanos!

in man of the towns of #pain- and in more than one instance

 particular barrios or districts are still known b this name!

though the %itanos themselves have long since disappeared. Even inthe town of &viedo! in the heart of the Asturias! a province neverfamous for %itanos! there is a place called the %itaneria! though

no %itano has been known to reside in the town within the memor of

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man! nor indeed been seen! save! perhaps! as a chance visitor at afair.

The e+act period when the %itanos first formed these colonies

within the towns is not known- the laws! however! which commandedthem to abandon their wandering life under penalt of banishment

and death! and to become stationar in towns! ma have induced them

first to take such a step. , the first of these laws! which wasmade b Ferdinand and Isabella as far back as the ear >HH! theare commanded to seek out for themselves masters. This in(unction

the utterl disregarded. #ome of them for fear of the law! orfrom the hope of bettering their condition! ma have settled down

in the towns! cities! and villages for a time! but to e+pect that a

 people! in whose bosoms was so deepl rooted the love of lawless

independence! would sub(ect themselves to the oke of servitude!from an motive whatever! was going too far- as well might it have

 been e+pected! according to the words of the great poet of Persia!T1AT T1E *&375 1A8E *A#1E5 T1EIR #9I0# *1ITE.

In these %itanerias! therefore! man %ps families resided! but

ever in the %ps fashion! in filth and in miser! with little ofthe fear of man! and nothing of the fear of %od before their ees.

1ere the swarth children basked naked in the sun before the doors-here the women prepared love draughts! or told the buena ventura-

and here the men plied the trade of the blacksmith! a forbiddenoccupation! or prepared for sale! b disguising them! animals

stolen b themselves or their accomplices. In these places wereharboured the strange %itanos on their arrival! and here were

discussed in the Romman language! which! like the Arabic! wasforbidden under severe penalties! plans of fraud and plunder! which

were perhaps intended to be carried into effect in a distant province and a distant cit.

The great bod! however! of the %ps race in #pain continuedindependent wanderers of the plains and the mountains! and indeed

the deni<ens of the %itanerias were continuall salling forth!

either for the purpose of reuniting themselves with the wanderingtribes! or of strolling about from town to town! and from fair to

fair. 1ence the continual complaints in the #panish laws againstthe %itanos who have left their places of domicile! from doing

which the were interdicted! even as the were interdicted fromspeaking their language and following the occupations of the

 blacksmith and horse$dealer! in which the still persist even atthe present da.

The %itanerias at evening fall were fre'uentl resorted to b

individuals widel differing in station from the inmates of these places $ we allude to the oung and dissolute nobilit and hidalgos

of #pain. This was generall the time of mirth and festival! andthe %itanos! male and female! danced and sang in the %ps fashion

 beneath the smile of the moon. The %ps women and girls were the principal attractions to these visitors- wild and singular as these

females are in their appearance! there can be no doubt! for thefact has been fre'uentl proved! that the are capable of e+citing

 passion of the most ardent description! particularl in the bosoms

of those who are not of their race! which passion of course becomesthe more violent when the almost utter impossibilit of gratifing

it is known. 0o females in the world can be more licentious in

word and gesture! in dance and in song! than the %itanas- but there

the stop" and so of old! if their titled visitors presumed toseek for more! an unsheathed dagger or gleaming knife speedilrepulsed those who e+pected that the gem most dear amongst the sect

of the Roma was within the reach of a ,usno.

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#uch visitors! however! were alwas encouraged to a certain point!

and b this and various other means the %itanos ac'uiredconnections which fre'uentl stood them in good stead in the hour

of need. *hat availed it to the honest labourers of theneighbourhood! or the citi<ens of the town! to make complaints to

the corregidor concerning the thefts and frauds committed b the

%itanos! when perhaps the sons of that ver corregidor fre'uentedthe nightl dances at the %itaneria! and were deepl enamoured withsome of the dark$eed singing$girls4 *hat availed making

complaints! when perhaps a %ps sibl! the mother of those vergirls! had free admission to the house of the corregidor at all

times and seasons! and spaed the good fortune to his daughters!

 promising them counts and dukes! and Andalusian knights in

marriage! or prepared philtres for his lad b which she was alwasto reign supreme in the affections of her husband4 And! above all!

what availed it to the plundered part to complain that his mule orhorse had been stolen! when the %itano robber! perhaps the husband

of the sibl and the father of the black$eed %itanillas! was atthat moment actuall in treat with m lord the corregidor himself

for suppling him with some splendid thick$maned! long$tailed steedat a small price! to be obtained! as the reader ma well suppose!

 b an infraction of the laws4 The favour and protection which the%itanos e+perienced from people of high rank is alluded to in the

#panish laws! and can onl be accounted for b the motives abovedetailed.

The %itanerias were soon considered as public nuisances! on which

account the %itanos were forbidden to live together in particular parts of the town! to hold meetings! and even to intermarr with

each other- et it does not appear that the %itanerias were eversuppressed b the arm of the law! as man still e+ist where these

singular beings )marr and are given in marriage!) and meet

together to discuss their affairs! which! in their opinion! neverflourish unless those of their fellow$creatures suffer. #o much

for the %itanerias! or %ps colonies in the towns of #pain.

C1APTER 8

)7&# %itanos son mu malos: $ the %psies are ver bad people!)

said the #paniards of old times. The are cheats- the arehighwamen- the practise sorcer- and! lest the catalogue of their

offences should be incomplete! a formal charge of cannibalism was brought against them. Cheats the have alwas been! and

highwamen! and if not sorcerers! the have alwas done their bestto merit that appellation! b arrogating to themselves supernatural

 powers- but that the were addicted to cannibalism is a matter notso easil proved.

Their principal accuser was 5on ;uan de uinones! who! in the work

from which we have alread had occasion to 'uote! gives several

anecdotes illustrative of their cannibal propensities. /ost ofthese anecdotes! however! are so highl absurd! that none but the

ver credulous could ever have vouchsafed them the slightest

credit. This author is particularl fond of speaking of a certain

 (ue<! or (udge! called 5on /artin Fa(ardo! who seems to have beenan arrant %ps$hunter! and was probabl a member of the ancientfamil of the Fa(ardos! which still flourishes in Estremadura! and

with individuals of which we are ac'uainted. #o it came to pass

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that this personage was! in the ear >@H! at ;araice(o! inEstremadura! or! as it is written in the little book in 'uestion!

6arai<e(o! in the capacit of (udge- a <ealous one he undoubtedlwas.

A ver strange place is this same ;araice(o! a small ruinous town

or village! situated on a rising ground! with a ver wild countr

all about it. The road from ,ada(o< to /adrid passes through it-and about two leagues distant! in the direction of /adrid! is thefamous mountain pass of /irabete! from the top of which ou en(o a

most pictures'ue view across the Tagus! which flows below! as faras the huge mountains of Plasencia! the tops of which are generall

covered with snow.

#o this 5on /artin Fa(ardo! (udge! being at ;araice(o! laid hisclaw upon four %itanos! and having nothing! as it appears! to

accuse them of! e+cept being %itanos! put them to the torture! andmade them accuse themselves! which the did- for! on the first

appeal which was made to the rack! the confessed that the hadmurdered a female %ps in the forest of 7as %amas! and had there

eaten her. . . .

I am mself well ac'uainted with this same forest of 7as %amas!which lies between ;araice(o and Tru(illo- it abounds with chestnut

and cork trees! and is a place ver well suited either for the purpose of murder or cannibalism. It will be as well to observe

that I visited it in compan with a band of %itanos! who bivouackedthere! and cooked their supper! which however did not consist of

human flesh! but of a puchera! the ingredients of which were beef! bacon! garban<os! and berdolaga! or field$pease and purslain! $

therefore I mself can bear testimon that there is such a forestas 7as %amas! and that it is fre'uented occasionall b %psies! b

which two points are established b far the most important to the

histor in 'uestion! or so at least it would be thought in #pain!for being sure of the forest and the %psies! few would be

incredulous enough to doubt the facts of the murder and

cannibalism. . . .

&n being put to the rack a second time! the %itanos confessed thatthe had likewise murdered and eaten a female pilgrim in the forest

aforesaid- and on being tortured et again! that the had served inthe same manner! and in the same forest! a friar of the order of

#an Francisco! whereupon the were released from the rack ande+ecuted. This is one of the anecdotes of uinones.

And it came to pass! moreover! that the said Fa(ardo! being in the

town of /onti(o! was told b the alcalde! that a certain inhabitantof that place had some time previous lost a mare- and wandering

about the plains in 'uest of her! he arrived at a place calledArroo el Puerco! where stood a ruined house! on entering which he

found various %itanos emploed in preparing their dinner! whichconsisted of a 'uarter of a human bod! which was being roasted

 before a huge fire" the result! however! we are not told- whetherthe %psies were angr at being disturbed in their cooker! or

whether the man of the mare departed unobserved.

uinones! in continuation! states in his book that he learned =he

does not sa from whom! but probabl from Fa(ardo? that there was a

shepherd of the cit of %audi+! who once lost his wa in the wild

sierra of %adol" night came on! and the wind blew cold" hewandered about until he descried a light in the distance! towardswhich he bent his wa! supposing it to be a fire kindled b

shepherds" on arriving at the spot! however! he found a whole

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tribe of %psies! who were roasting the half of a man! the otherhalf being hung on a cork$tree" the %psies welcomed him ver

heartil! and re'uested him to be seated at the fire and to supwith them- but he presentl heard them whisper to each other! )this

is a fine fat fellow!) from which he suspected that the weremeditating a design upon his bod" whereupon! feeling himself

sleep! he made as if he were seeking a spot where to lie! and

suddenl darted headlong down the mountain$side! and escaped fromtheir hands without breaking his neck.

These anecdotes scarcel deserve comment- first we have thestatement of Fa(ardo! the fool or knave who tortures wretches! and

then puts them to death for the crimes with which the have ta+ed

themselves whilst undergoing the agon of the rack! probabl with

the hope of obtaining a moment)s respite- last comes the tale ofthe shepherd! who is invited b %psies on a mountain at night to

 partake of a supper of human flesh! and who runs awa from them onhearing them talk of the fatness of his own bod! as if cannibal

robbers detected in their orgies b a single interloper would haveafforded him a chance of escaping. #uch tales cannot be true. =>H?

Cases of cannibalism are said to have occurred in 1ungar amongst

the %psies- indeed! the whole race! in that countr! has beenaccused of cannibalism! to which we have alluded whilst speaking of

the Chingan" it is ver probable! however! that the were 'uiteinnocent of this odious practice! and that the accusation had its

origin in popular pre(udice! or in the fact of their foul feeding!and their seldom re(ecting carrion or offal of an description.

The %a<ette of Frankfort for the ear >G@! 0os. >D and @!

states that one hundred and fift %psies were imprisoned chargedwith this practice- and that the Empress Teresa sent commissioners

to in'uire into the facts of the accusation! who discovered that

the were true- whereupon the empress published a law to oblige allthe %psies in her dominions to become stationar! which! however!

had no effect.

3pon this matter we can state nothing on our own knowledge.

After the above anecdotes! it will perhaps not be amiss to devote a

few lines to the sub(ect of %ps food and diet. I believe that ithas been asserted that the Romas! in all parts of the world! are

 perfectl indifferent as to what the eat! provided onl that thecan appease their hunger- and that the have no ob(ection to

 partake of the carcasses of animals which have died a naturaldeath! and have been left to putref b the roadside- moreover!

that the use for food all kinds of reptiles and vermin which thecan la their hands upon.

In this there is a vast deal of e+aggeration! but at the same time

it must be confessed that! in some instances! the habits of the%psies in regard to food would seem! at the first glance! to

favour the supposition. This observation chiefl holds good withrespect to those of the %ps race who still continue in a

wandering state! and who! doubtless! retain more of the was and

customs of their forefathers than those who have adopted astationar life. There can be no doubt that the wanderers amongst

the %ps race are occasionall seen to feast upon carcasses of

cattle which have been abandoned to the birds of the air! et it

would be wrong! from this fact! to conclude that the %psies werehabitual devourers of carrion. Carrion it is true the maoccasionall devour! from want of better food! but man of these

carcasses are not in realit the carrion which the appear! but are

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the bodies of animals which the %psies have themselves killed bcasting drao! in hope that the flesh ma eventuall be abandoned to

them. It is utterl useless to write about the habits of the%psies! especiall of the wandering tribes! unless ou have lived

long and intimatel with them- and unhappil! up to the presenttime! all the books which have been published concerning them have

 been written b those who have introduced themselves into their

societ for a few hours! and from what the have seen or heardconsider themselves competent to give the world an idea of themanners and customs of the msterious Romman" thus! because the

have been known to beg the carcass of a hog which the themselveshave poisoned! it has been asserted that the prefer carrion which

has perished of sickness to the meat of the shambles- and because

the have been seen to make a ragout of boror =#0AI7#?! and to

roast a hotchiwitchu or hedgehog! it has been supposed thatreptiles of ever description form a part of their cuisine. It is

high time to undeceive the %entiles on these points. 9now! then! &%entile! whether thou be from the land of the %orgios =@? or the

,usne =@>?! that the ver %psies who consider a ragout of snails adelicious dish will not touch an eel! because it bears resemblance

to a #0A9E- and that those who will feast on a roasted hedgehogcould be induced b no mone to taste a s'uirrel! a delicious and

wholesome species of game! living on the purest and most nutritiousfood which the fields and forests can suppl. I mself! while

living among the Roms of England! have been regarded almost in thelight of a cannibal for cooking the latter animal and preferring it

to hotchiwitchu barbecued! or ragout of boror. )ou are but halfRomman! brother!) the would sa! )and ou feed gorgiko$nes =7I9E

A %E0TI7E?! even as ou talk. Tchachipen =I0 TR3T1?! if we did notknow ou to be of the /ecralliskoe rat =R&A7 ,7&&5? of Pharaoh! we

should be (ustified in driving ou forth as a (uggel$mush =5&%/A0?! one more fitted to keep compan with wild beasts and %orgios

than gentle Rommans.)

 0o person can read the present volume without perceiving! at a

glance! that the Romas are in most points an anomalous people- in

their moralit there is much of anomal! and certainl not less intheir cuisine.

)7os %itanos son mu malos- llevan ninos hurtados a ,erberia. The

%psies are ver bad people- the steal children and carr them to,arbar! where the sell them to the /oors) $ so said the #paniards

in old times. There can be little doubt that even before the fallof the kingdom of %ranada! which occurred in the ear >H@! the

%itanos had intercourse with the /oors of #pain. Andalusia! whichhas ever been the province where the %itano race has most abounded

since its arrival! was! until the edict of Philip the Third! which banished more than a million of /oriscos from #pain! principall

 peopled b /oors! who differed from the #paniards both in languageand religion. , living even as wanderers amongst these people!

the %itanos naturall became ac'uainted with their tongue! and withman of their customs! which of course much facilitated an

connection which the might subse'uentl form with the,arbares'ues. ,etween the /oors of ,arbar and the #paniards a

deadl and continued war raged for centuries! both before and after

the e+pulsion of the /oriscos from #pain. The %itanos! who cared probabl as little for one nation as the other! and who have no

smpath and affection beond the pale of their own sect! doubtless

sided with either as their interest dictated! officiating as spies

for both parties and betraing both.

It is likel enough that the fre'uentl passed over to ,arbar

with stolen children of both se+es! whom the sold to the /oors!

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who traffic in slaves! whether white or black! even at the presentda- and perhaps this kidnapping trade gave occasion to other

relations. As the were perfectl ac'uainted! from their wanderinglife! with the shores of the #panish /editerranean! the must have

 been of considerable assistance to the ,arbar pirates in theirmarauding trips to the #panish coasts! both as guides and advisers-

and as it was a far easier matter! and afforded a better prospect

of gain! to plunder the #paniards than the /oors! a people almostas wild as themselves! the were! on that account! and that onl!more /oors than Christians! and ever willing to assist the former

in their foras on the latter.

uinones observes" )The /oors! with whom the hold correspondence!

let them go and come without an let or obstacle" an instance of

this was seen in the ear >@! when two galles from #pain werecarring assistance to /armora! which was then besieged b the

/oors. These galles struck on a shoal! when the /oors sei<ed allthe people on board! making captives of the Christians and setting

at libert all the /oors! who were chained to the oar- as for the%ps galle$slaves whom the found amongst these last! the did

not make them slaves! but received them as people friendl to them!and at their devotion- which matter was public and notorious.)

&f the /oors and the %itanos we shall have occasion to sa

something in the following chapter.

C1APTER 8I

T1ERE is no portion of the world so little known as Africa in

general- and perhaps of all Africa there is no corner with whichEuropeans are so little ac'uainted as ,arbar! which nevertheless

is onl separated from the continent of Europe b a narrow strait

of four leagues across.

China itself has! for upwards of a centur! ceased to be a land ofmster to the civilised portion of the world- the enterprising

children of 7oola having wandered about it in ever directionmaking converts to their doctrine and discipline! whilst the

Russians possess better maps of its vast regions than of their owncountr! and latel! owing to the persevering labour and searching

ee of m friend 1acinth! Archimandrite of #aint ;ohn 0efsk! areac'uainted with the number of its militar force to a man! and also

with the names and places of residence of its civil servants. etwho possesses a map of Fe< and /orocco! or would venture to form a

con(ecture as to how man fier horsemen Abderrahman! the mulattoemperor! could lead to the field! were his sand dominions

threatened b the 0a<arene4 et Fe< is scarcel two hundredleagues distant from /adrid! whilst /araks! the other great cit of

the /oors! and which also has given its name to an empire! isscarcel farther removed from Paris! the capital of civilisation"

in a word! we scarcel know anthing of ,arbar! the scant

information which we possess being confined to a few towns on thesea$coast- the <eal of the ;esuit himself being insufficient to

induce him to confront the perils of the interior! in the hopeless

endeavour of making one single proselte from amongst the wildest

fanatics of the creed of the Prophet Camel$driver.

Are wanderers of the %ps race to be found in ,arbar4 This is a

'uestion which I have fre'uentl asked mself. #everal respectable

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authors have! I believe! asserted the fact! amongst whom Adelung!who! speaking of the %psies! sas" )Four hundred ears have

 passed awa since the departed from their native land. 5uringthis time! the have spread themselves through the whole of *estern

Asia! Europe! and 0orthern Africa.) =@@? ,ut it is one thing tomake an assertion! and another to produce the grounds for making

it. I believe it would re'uire a far greater stock of information

than has hitherto been possessed b an one who has written on thesub(ect of the %psies! to (ustif him in asserting positivel thatafter traversing the west of Europe! the spread themselves over

 0orthern Africa! though true it is that to those who take asuperficial view of the matter! nothing appears easier and more

natural than to come to such a conclusion.

Tarifa! the will sa! the most western part of #pain! is oppositeto Tangier! in Africa! a narrow sea onl running between! less wide

than man rivers. ,ands! therefore! of these wanderers! of course!on reaching Tarifa! passed over into Africa! even as thousands

crossed the channel from France to England. The have at all timesshown themselves e+travagantl fond of a roving life. *hat land is

 better adapted for such a life than Africa and its wilds4 *hatland! therefore! more likel to entice them4

All this is ver plausible. It was eas enough for the %itanos to

 pass over to Tangier and Tetuan from the #panish towns of Tarifaand Alge<iras. In the last chapter I have stated m belief of the

fact! and that moreover the formed certain connections with the/oors of the coast! to whom it is likel that the occasionall

sold children stolen in #pain- et such connection would b nomeans have opened them a passage into the interior of ,arbar!

which is inhabited b wild and fierce people! in comparison withwhom the /oors of the coast! bad as the alwas have been! are

gentle and civilised.

To penetrate into Africa! the %itanos would have been compelled to

 pass through the tribes who speak the #hilha language! and who are

the descendants of the ancient 0umidians. These tribes are themost untamable and warlike of mankind! and at the same time the

most suspicious! and those who entertain the greatest aversion toforeigners. The are dreaded b the /oors themselves! and have

alwas remained! to a certain degree! independent of the emperorsof /orocco. The are the most terrible of robbers and murderers!

and entertain far more reluctance to spill water than the blood oftheir fellow$creatures" the ,edouins! also! of the Arabian race!

are warlike! suspicious! and cruel- and would not have failedinstantl to attack bands of foreign wanderers! wherever the found

them! and in all probabilit would have e+terminated them. 0ow the%itanos! such as the arrived in ,arbar! could not have defended

themselves against such enemies! had the even arrived in largedivisions! instead of bands of twenties and thirties! as is their

custom to travel. The are not b nature nor b habit a warlikerace! and would have 'uailed before the Africans! who! unlike most

other people! engage in wars from what appears to be an innate loveof the cruel and blood scenes attendant on war.

It ma be said! that if the %itanos were able to make their wafrom the north of India! from /ultan! for e+ample! the province

which the learned consider to be the original dwelling$place of the

race! to such an immense distance as the western part of #pain!

 passing necessaril through man wild lands and tribes! wh mightthe not have penetrated into the heart of ,arbar! and whereforema not their descendants be still there! following the same kind

of life as the European %psies! that is! wandering about from

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 place to place! and maintaining themselves b deceit and robber4

,ut those who are ac'uainted but slightl with the condition of,arbar are aware that it would be less difficult and dangerous for

a compan of foreigners to proceed from #pain to /ultan! than fromthe nearest seaport in ,arbar to Fe<! an insignificant distance.

True it is! that! from their intercourse with the /oors of #pain!

the %psies might have become ac'uainted with the Arabic language!and might even have adopted the /oorish dress! ere entering,arbar- and! moreover! might have professed belief in the religion

of /ahomet- still the would have been known as foreigners! and! onthat account! would have been assuredl attacked b the people of

the interior! had the gone amongst them! who! according to the

usual practice! would either have massacred them or made them

slaves- and as slaves! the would have been separated. The mulattohue of their countenances would probabl have insured them the

latter fate! as all blacks and mulattos in the dominions of the/oor are properl slaves! and can be bought and sold! unless b

some means or other the become free! in which event their colouris no obstacle to their elevation to the highest emploments and

dignities! to their becoming pashas of cities and provinces! oreven to their ascending the throne. #everal emperors of /orocco

have been mulattos.

Above I have pointed out all the difficulties and dangers whichmust have attended the path of the %itanos! had the passed from

#pain into ,arbar! and attempted to spread themselves over thatregion! as over Europe and man parts of Asia. To these

observations I have been led b the assertion that theaccomplished this! and no proof of the fact having! as I am aware!

ever been adduced- for who amongst those who have made such astatement has seen or conversed with the Egptians of ,arbar! or

had sufficient intercourse with them to (ustif him in the

assertion that the are one and the same people as those of Europe!from whom the differ about as much as the various tribes which

inhabit various European countries differ from each other4 At the

same time! I wish it to be distinctl understood that I am far fromdening the e+istence of %psies in various parts of the interior

of ,arbar. Indeed! I almost believe the fact! though theinformation which I possess is b no means of a description which

would (ustif me in speaking with full certaint- I having mselfnever come in contact with an sect or caste of people amongst the

/oors! who not onl tallied in their pursuits with the Romman! butwho likewise spoke amongst themselves a dialect of the language of

Roma- nor am I aware that an individual worth of credit has ever presumed to sa that he has been more fortunate in these respects.

 0evertheless! I repeat that I am inclined to believe that %psies

virtuall e+ist in ,arbar! and m reasons I shall presentladduce- but I will here observe! that if these strange outcasts did

indeed contrive to penetrate into the heart of that savage andinhospitable region! the could onl have succeeded after having

 become well ac'uainted with the /oorish language! and when! after aconsiderable so(ourn on the coast! the had raised for themselves a

name! and were regarded with superstitious fear- in a word! if the

walked this land of peril untouched and unscathed! it was not thatthe were considered as harmless and inoffensive people! which!

indeed! would not have protected them! and which assuredl the

were not- it was not that the were mistaken for wandering /oors

and ,edouins! from whom the differed in feature and comple+ion! but because! wherever the went! the were dreaded as the possessors of supernatural powers! and as might sorcerers.

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There is in ,arbar more than one sect of wanderers! which! to thecursor observer! might easil appear! and perhaps have appeared!

in the right of legitimate %psies. For e+ample! there are the,eni Aros. The proper home of these people is in certain high

mountains in the neighbourhood of Tetuan! but the are to be foundroving about the whole kingdom of Fe<. Perhaps it would be

impossible to find! in the whole of 0orthern Africa! a more

detestable caste. The are beggars b profession! but aree+ceedingl addicted to robber and murder- the are notoriousdrunkards! and are infamous! even in ,arbar! for their unnatural

lusts. The are! for the most part! well made and of comelfeatures. I have occasionall spoken with them- the are /oors!

and speak no language but the Arabic.

Then there is the sect of #idi 1amed au /u<a! a ver roving people!companies of whom are generall to be found in all the principal

towns of ,arbar. The men are e+pert vaulters and tumblers! and perform wonderful feats of address with swords and daggers! to the

sound of wild music! which the women! seated on the ground! producefrom uncouth instruments- b these means the obtain a livelihood.

Their dress is pictures'ue! scarlet vest and white drawers. Inman respects the not a little resemble the %psies- but the are

not an evil people! and are looked upon with much respect b the/oors! who call them #antons. Their patron saint is 1amed au /u<a!

and from him the derive their name. Their countr is on theconfines of the #ahara! or great desert! and their language is the

#hilhah! or a dialect thereof. The speak but little Arabic. *henI saw them for the first time! I believed them to be of the %ps

caste! but was soon undeceived. A more wandering race does note+ist than the children of #idi 1amed au /u<a. The have even

visited France! and e+hibited their de+terit and agilit at Parisand /arseilles.

I will now sa a few words concerning another sect which e+ists in,arbar! and will here premise! that if those who compose it are

not %psies! such people are not to be found in 0orth Africa! and

the assertion! hitherto believed! that the abound there! is devoidof foundation. I allude to certain men and women! generall termed

 b the /oors )Those of the 5ar$bushi$fal!) which word is e'uivalentto prophesing or fortune$telling. The are great wanderers! but

have also their fi+ed dwellings or villages! and such a place iscalled )Char #eharra!) or witch$hamlet. Their manner of life! in

ever respect! resembles that of the %psies of other countries-the are wanderers during the greatest part of the ear! and

subsist principall b pilfering and fortune$telling. The dealmuch in mules and donkes! and it is believed! in ,arbar! that

the can change the colour of an animal b means of sorcer! andso disguise him as to sell him to his ver proprietor! without fear

of his being recognised. This latter trait is 'uite characteristicof the %ps race! b whom the same thing is practised in most

 parts of the world. ,ut the /oors assert! that the children of the5ar$bushi$fal can not onl change the colour of a horse or a mule!

 but likewise of a human being! in one night! transforming a whiteinto a black! after which the sell him for a slave- on which

account the superstitious /oors regard them with the utmost dread!

and in general prefer passing the night in the open fields tosleeping in their hamlets. The are said to possess a particular

language! which is neither #hilhah nor Arabic! and which none but

themselves understand- from all which circumstances I am led to

 believe! that the children of the 5ar$bushi$fal are legitimate%psies! descendants of those who passed over to ,arbar from#pain. 0evertheless! as it has never been m fortune to meet or to

converse with an of this caste! though the are tolerabl numerous

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in ,arbar! I am far from asserting that the are of %ps race./ore enterprising individuals than mself ma! perhaps! establish

the fact. An particular language or (argon which the speakamongst themselves will be the best criterion. The word which the

emplo for )water) would decide the point- for the 5ar$bushi$falare not %psies! if! in their peculiar speech! the designate that

 blessed element and article most necessar to human e+istence b

aught else than the #anscrit term )Pani!) a word brought b therace from sunn Ind! and esteemed so hol that the have never even presumed to modif it.

The following is an account of the 5ar$bushi$fal! given me b a ;ew

of Fe<! who had travelled much in ,arbar! and which I insert

almost literall as I heard it from his mouth. 8arious other

individuals! /oors! have spoken of them in much the same manner.

)In one of m (ournes I passed the night in a place called /ulai$;acub /unsur.

)0ot far from this place is a Char #eharra! or witch$hamlet! where

dwell those of the 5ar$bushi$fal. These are ver evil people! and powerful enchanters- for it is well known that if an traveller

stop to sleep in their Char! the will with their sorceries! if he be a white man! turn him as black as a coal! and will afterwards

sell him as a negro. 1orses and mules the serve in the samemanner! for if the are black! the will turn them red! or an

other colour which best ma please them- and although the ownersdemand (ustice of the authorities! the sorcerers alwas come off

 best. The have a language which the use among themselves! verdifferent from all other languages! so much so that it is

impossible to understand them. The are ver swarth! 'uite asmuch so as mulattos! and their faces are e+ceedingl lean. As for

their legs! the are like reeds- and when the run! the devil

himself cannot overtake them. The tell 5ar$bushi$fal with flour-the fill a plate! and then the are able to tell ou anthing ou

ask them. The likewise tell it with a shoe- the put it in their

mouth! and then the will recall to our memor ever action ofour life. The likewise tell 5ar$bushi$fal with oil- and indeed

are! in ever respect! most powerful sorcerers.

)Two women! once on a time! came to Fe<! bringing with them ane+ceedingl white donke! which the placed in the middle of the

s'uare called Fa< el ,ali- the then killed it! and cut it intoupwards of thirt pieces. 3pon the ground there was much of the

donke)s filth and dung- some of this the took in their hands!when it straight assumed the appearance of fresh dates. There were

some people who were greed enough to put these dates into theirmouths! and then the found that it was dung. These women deceived

me amongst the rest with a date- when I put it into m mouth! loand behold it was the donke)s dung. After the had collected much

mone from the spectators! one of them took a needle! and ran itinto the tail of the donke! cring JArrhe li darJ =%et home?!

whereupon the donke instantl rose up! and set off running!kicking ever now and then most furiousl- and it was remarked!

that not one single trace of blood remained upon the ground! (ust

as if the had done nothing to it. ,oth these women were of thever same Char #eharra which I have alread mentioned. The

likewise took paper! and cut it into the shape of a peseta! and a

dollar! and a half$dollar! until the had made man pesetas and

dollars! and then the put them into an earthen pan over a fire!and when the took them out! the appeared (ust fresh from thestamp! and with such mone these people bu all the want.

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)There was a friend of m grandfather! who came fre'uentl to ourhouse! who was in the habit of making this mone. &ne da he took

me with him to bu white silk- and when the had shown him some! hetook the silk in his hand! and pressed it to his mouth! and then I

saw that the silk! which was before white! had become green! evenas grass. The master of the shop said! JPa me for m silk.J J&f

what colour was our silk4J he demanded. J*hite!J said the man-

whereupon! turning round! he cried! J%ood people! behold! the whitesilk is greenJ- and so he got a pound of silk for nothing- and healso was of the Char #eharra.

)The are ver evil people indeed! and the emperor himself is

afraid of them. The poor wretch who falls into their hands has

cause to rue- the alwas go badl dressed! and e+hibit ever

appearance of miser! though the are far from being miserable.#uch is the life the lead.)

There is! of course! some e+aggeration in the above account of the

5ar$bushi$fal- et there is little reason to doubt that there is afoundation of truth in all the facts stated. The belief that the

are enabled! b sorcer! to change a white into a black man had itsorigin in the great skill which the possess in altering the

appearance of a horse or a mule! and giving it another colour.Their changing white into green silk is a ver simple trick! and is

accomplished b de+terousl substituting one thing for another.1ad the man of the 5ar$bushi$fal been searched! the white silk

would have been found upon him. The %psies! wherever the arefound! are fond of this species of fraud. In %erman! for e+ample!

the go to the wine$shop with two pitchers e+actl similar! one intheir hand empt! and the other beneath their cloaks filled with

water- when the empt pitcher is filled with wine the pretend to be dissatisfied with the 'ualit! or to have no mone! but contrive

to substitute the pitcher of water in its stead! which the wine$

seller generall snatches up in anger! and pours the contents back!as he thinks! into the butt $ but it is not wine but water which he

 pours. *ith respect to the donke! which APPEARE5 to be cut in

 pieces! but which afterwards! being pricked in the tail! got up andran home! I have little to sa! but that I have mself seen almost

as strange things without believing in sorcer.

As for the dates of dung! and the paper mone! the are mere featsof legerdemain.

I repeat! that if legitimate %psies reall e+ist in ,arbar! the

are the men and women of the 5ar$bushi$fal.

C1APTER 8II

C1IR&/A0C! or the divination of the hand! is! according to theorthodo+ theor! the determining from certain lines upon the hand

the 'ualit of the phsical and intellectual powers of the

 possessor.

The whole science is based upon the five principal lines in the

hand! and the triangle which the form in the palm. These lines!

which have all their particular and appropriate names! and the principal of which is called )the line of life!) are! if we ma believe those who have written on the sub(ect! connected with the

heart! with the genitals! with the brain! with the liver or

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stomach! and the head. Torreblanca! =@B? in his curious andlearned book on magic! observes" )In (udging these lines ou must

 pa attention to their substance! colour! and continuance! togetherwith the disposition of the correspondent member- for! if the line

 be well and clearl described! and is of a vivid colour! without being intermitted or P30CT3RI# I0FECTA! it denotes the good

comple+ion and virtue of its member! according to Aristotle.

)#o that if the line of the heart be found sufficientl long andreasonabl deep! and not crossed b other accidental lines! it is

an infallible sign of the health of the heart and the great virtueof the heart! and the abundance of spirits and good blood in the

heart! and accordingl denotes boldness and liberal genius for

ever work.)

In like manner! b means of the hepatal line! it is eas to form an

accurate (udgment as to the state of a person)s liver! and of his powers of digestion! and so on with respect to all the other organs

of the bod.

After having laid down all the rules of chiromanc with the utmost possible clearness! the sage Torreblanca e+claims" )And with these

terminate the canons of true and catholic chiromanc- for as forthe other species b which people pretend to divine concerning the

affairs of life! either past or to come! dignities! fortunes!children! events! chances! dangers! etc.! such chiromanc is not

onl reprobated b theologians! but b men of law and phsic! as afoolish! false! vain! scandalous! futile! superstitious practice!

smelling much of diviner and a pact with the devil.)

Then! after mentioning a number of erudite and enlightened men ofthe three learned professions! who have written against such absurd

superstitions! amongst whom he cites /artin 5el Rio! he falls foul

of the %ps wives in this manner" )A practice turned to profit bthe wives of that rabble of abandoned miscreants whom the Italians

call Cingari! the 7atins Egptians! and we %itanos! who!

notwithstanding that the are sent b the Turks into #pain for the purpose of acting as spies upon the Christian religion! pretend

that the are wandering over the world in fulfilment of a penanceen(oined upon them! part of which penance seems to be the living b

fraud and imposition.) And shortl afterwards he remarks" )0or dothe derive an authorit for such a practice from those words in

E+odus! =@? Jet 'uasi signum in manu tua!J as that passage doesnot treat of chiromanc! but of the festival of unleavened bread-

the observance of which! in order that it might be memorable to the1ebrews! the sacred historian said should be as a sign upon the

hand- a metaphor derived from those who! when the wish to rememberanthing! tie a thread round their finger! or put a ring upon it-

and still less I ween does that chapter of ;ob =@D? speak in theirfavour! where is written! Jui in manu hominis signat! ut norint

omnes opera sua!J because the divine power is meant thereb whichis preached to those here below" for the hand is intended for

 power and magnitude! E+od. chap. +iv.! =@? or stands for freewill! which is placed in a man)s hand! that is! in his power.

*isdom! chap. +++vi. JIn manibus abscondit lucem!J =@? etc. etc.

etc.

 0o! no! good Torreblanca! we know perfectl well that the witch$

wives of /ultan! who for the last four hundred ears have been

running about #pain and other countries! telling fortunes b thehand! and deriving good profit from the same! are not countenancedin such a practice b the sacred volume- we ield as little credit

to their chiromanc as we do to that which ou call the true and

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the fountain! a richl dressed dame and two lovel delicatemaidens- the are busied at their morning)s occupation!

intertwining with their sharp needles the gold and silk on thetambour- several female attendants are seated behind. The %ps

 pulls the bell! when is heard the soft cr of )uien es)- the door!unlocked b means of a string! recedes upon its hinges! when in

walks the %itana! the witch$wife of /ultan! with a look such as the

tiger$cat casts when she stealeth from her (ungle into the plain.

es! well ma ou e+claim )Ave /aria purissima!) e dames and

maidens of #eville! as she advances towards ou- she is not ofourselves! she is not of our blood! she or her fathers have

walked to our climate from a distance of three thousand leagues.

#he has come from the far East! like the three enchanted kings! to

Cologne- but! unlike them! she and her race have come with hate andnot with love. #he comes to flatter! and to deceive! and to rob!

for she is a ling prophetess! and a she$Thug- she will greet ouwith blessings which will make our hearts re(oice! but our

hearts) blood would free<e! could ou hear the curses which toherself she murmurs against ou- for she sas! that in her

children)s veins flows the dark blood of the )husbands!) whilst inthose of ours flows the pale tide of the )savages!) and therefore

she would gladl set her foot on all our corses first poisoned bher hands. For all her love $ and she can love $ is for the Romas-

and all her hate $ and who can hate like her4 $ is for the ,usnees-for she sas that the world would be a fair world if there were no

,usnees! and if the Romamiks could heat their kettles undisturbedat the foot of the olive$trees- and therefore she would kill them

all if she could and if she dared. #he never seeks the houses ofthe ,usnees but for the purpose of pre- for the wild animals of

the sierra do not more abhor the sight of man than she abhors thecountenances of the ,usnees. #he now comes to pre upon ou and to

scoff at ou. *ill ou believe her words4 Fools: do ou think

that the being before e has an smpath for the like of ou4

#he is of the middle stature! neither strongl nor slightl built!

and et her ever movement denotes agilit and vigour. As shestands erect before ou! she appears like a falcon about to soar!

and ou are almost tempted to believe that the power of volition ishers- and were ou to stretch forth our hand to sei<e her! she

would spring above the house$tops like a bird. 1er face is oval!and her features are regular but somewhat hard and coarse! for she

was born amongst rocks in a thicket! and she has been wind$beatenand sun$scorched for man a ear! even like her parents before her-

there is man a speck upon her cheek! and perhaps a scar! but nodimples of love- and her brow is wrinkled over! though she is et

oung. 1er comple+ion is more than dark! for it is almost that ofa mulatto- and her hair! which hangs in long locks on either side

of her face! is black as coal! and coarse as the tail of a horse!from which it seems to have been gathered.

There is no female ee in #eville can support the glance of hers! $

so fierce and penetrating! and et so artful and sl! is thee+pression of their dark orbs- her mouth is fine and almost

delicate! and there is not a 'ueen on the proudest throne between

/adrid and /oscow who might not and would not env the white andeven rows of teeth which adorn it! which seem not of pearl but of

the purest elephant)s bone of /ultan. #he comes not alone- a

swarth two$ear$old bantling clasps her neck with one arm! its

naked bod half e+tant from the coarse blanket which! drawn roundher shoulders! is secured at her bosom b a skewer. Though tenderof age! it looks wicked and sl! like a veritable imp of Roma.

1uge rings of false gold dangle from wide slits in the lobes of her

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ears- her nether garments are rags! and her feet are cased inhempen sandals. #uch is the wandering %itana! such is the witch$

wife of /ultan! who has come to spae the fortune of the #evilliancountess and her daughters.

)& ma the blessing of Egpt light upon our head! ou high$born

lad: =/a an evil end overtake our bod! daughter of a ,usnee

harlot:? and ma the same blessing await the two fair roses of the 0ile here flowering b our side: =/a evil /oors sei<e them andcarr them across the water:? & listen to the words of the poor

woman who is come from a distant countr- she is of a wise people!though it has pleased the %od of the sk to punish them for their

sins b sending them to wander through the world. The denied

shelter to the /a(ari! whom ou call the 'ueen of heaven! and to

the #on of %od! when the flew to the land of Egpt before thewrath of the wicked king- it is said that the even refused them a

draught of the sweet waters of the great river when the blessed twowere athirst. & ou will sa that it was a heav crime- and trul

so it was! and heavil has the 7ord punished the Egptians. 1e hassent us a$wandering! poor as ou see! with scarcel a blanket to

cover us. & blessed lad! =Accursed be th dead! as man as thoumaest have!? we have no mone to bu us bread- we have onl our

wisdom with which to support ourselves and our poor hungr babes-when %od took awa their silks from the Egptians! and their gold

from the Egptians! he left them their wisdom as a resource thatthe might not starve. & who can read the stars like the

Egptians4 and who can read the lines of the palm like theEgptians4 The poor woman read in the stars that there was a rich

ventura for all of this goodl house! so she followed the biddingof the stars and came to declare it. & blessed lad! =I defile th

dead corse!? our husband is at %ranada! fighting with kingFerdinand against the wild Corahai: =/a an evil ball smite him

and split his head:? *ithin three months he shall return with

twent captive /oors! round the neck of each a chain of gold. =%odgrant that when he enter the house a beam ma fall upon him and

crush him:? And within nine months after his return %od shall

 bless ou with a fair chabo! the pledge for which ou have sighedso long. =Accursed be the salt placed in its mouth in the church

when it is bapti<ed:? our palm! blessed lad! our palm! and the palms of all I see here! that I ma tell ou all the rich ventura

which is hanging over this good house- =/a evil lightning fallupon it and consume it:? but first let me sing ou a song of Egpt!

that the spirit of the Chowahanee ma descend more plenteousl uponthe poor woman.)

1er demeanour now instantl undergoes a change. 1itherto she has

 been pouring forth a ling and wild harangue without much flurr oragitation of manner. 1er speech! it is true! has been rapid! but

her voice has never been raised to a ver high ke- but she nowstamps on the ground! and placing her hands on her hips! she moves

'uickl to the right and left! advancing and retreating in asidelong direction. 1er glances become more fierce and fier! and

her coarse hair stands erect on her head! stiff as the prickles ofthe hedgehog- and now she commences clapping her hands! and

uttering words of an unknown tongue! to a strange and uncouth tune.

The tawn bantling seems inspired with the same fiend! and! foamingat the mouth! utters wild sounds! in imitation of its dam. #till

more rapid become the sidelong movements of the %itana. /ovement:

she springs! she bounds! and at ever bound she is a ard above the

ground. #he no longer bears the child in her bosom- she plucks itfrom thence! and fiercel brandishes it aloft! till at last! with aell she tosses it high into the air! like a ball! and then! with

neck and head thrown back! receives it! as it falls! on her hands

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and breast! e+tracting a cr from the terrified beholders. Is it possible she can be singing4 es! in the wildest stle of her

 people- and here is a snatch of the song! in the language of Roma!which she occasionall screams $

)En los sastos de es'ue plai me di'uelo!

5oscusanas de sonacai terelo! $Coro(ai di'uelo abillar! ne asislo chapescar! chapescar.)

)&n the top of a mountain I stand!

*ith a crown of red gold in m hand! $

*ild /oors came trooping o)er the lea!

& how from their fur shall I flee! flee! flee4& how from their fur shall I flee4)

#uch was the %itana in the das of Ferdinand and Isabella! and muchthe same is she now in the das of Isabel and Christina.

&f the %itanas and their practices I shall have much to sa on a

future occasion! when speaking of those of the present time! withman of whom I have had no little intercourse. All the ancient

#panish authors who mention these women speak of them in unmeasuredterms of abhorrence! emploing against them ever abusive word

contained in the language in which the wrote. Amongst other vilenames! the have been called harlots! though perhaps no females on

earth are! and have ever been! more chaste in their own persons!though at all times willing to encourage licentiousness in others!

from a hope of gain. It is one thing to be a procuress! andanother to be a harlot! though the former has assuredl no reason

to complain if she be confounded with the latter. )The %itanas!)

sas 5octor #ancho de /oncada! in his discourse concerning the%psies! which I shall presentl la before the reader! )are public

harlots! common! as it is said! to all the %itanos! and with

dances! demeanour! and filth songs! are the cause of infinite harmto the souls of the vassals of our /a(est =Philip III.?! as it is

notorious what infinite harm the have caused in man honourablehouses. The married women whom the have separated from their

husbands! and the maidens whom the have perverted- and finall! inthe best of these %itanas! an one ma recognise all the signs of a

harlot given b the wise king" Jthe are gadders about!whisperers! alwas un'uiet in the places and corners.J) =@G?

The author of Alonso! =@H? he who of all the old #panish writers

has written most graphicall concerning the %itanos! and I believewith most correctness! puts the following account of the %itanas!

and their fortune$telling practices! into the entertaining mouth ofhis hero"$

)& how man times did these %itanas carr me along with them! for

 being! after all! women! even the have their fears! and were gladof me as a protector" and so the went through the neighbouring

villages! and entered the houses a$begging! giving to understand

thereb their povert and necessit! and then the would call asidethe girls! in order to tell them the buena ventura! and the oung

fellows the good luck which the were to en(o! never failing in

the first place to ask for a cuarto or real! in order to make the

sign of the cross- and with these flattering words! the got asmuch as the could! although! it is true! not much in mone! astheir harvest in that article was generall slight- but enough in

 bacon to afford subsistence to their husbands and bantlings. I

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%psies! than an+iousl e+pected b the lad. ,eing asked whethershe had prepared all as she had been desired! she replied in the

affirmative! when the %ps thus addressed her" Jou must know!good lad! that gold calls forth gold! and silver calls forth

silver- let us light these tapers! and descend to the cellar beforeit grows late! in order that we ma have time for our

con(urations.J Thereupon the trio! the widow and the two %psies!

went down! and having lighted the tapers and placed them incandlesticks in the shape of a circle! the deposited in the midsta silver tankard! with some pieces of eight! and some corals tipped

with gold! and other (ewels of small value. The then told thelad! that it was necessar for them all to return to the staircase

 b which the had descended to the cellar! and there the uplifted

their hands! and remained for a short time as if engaged in praer.

)The two %psies then bade the widow wait for them! and descended

again! when the commenced holding a conversation! speaking andanswering alternatel! and altering their voices in such a manner

that five or si+ people appeared to be in the cellar. J,lessedlittle #aint ;ohn!J said one! Jwill it be possible to remove the

treasure which ou keep hidden here4J J& es! and with a littlemore trouble it will be ours!J replied the %ps sister! altering

her voice to a thin treble! as if it proceeded from a child four orfive ears old. In the meantime! the lad remained astonished!

e+pecting the promised riches! and the two %itanas presentl comingto her! said! JCome up! lad! for our desire is upon the point of

 being gratified. ,ring down the best petticoat! gown! and mantlewhich ou have in our chest! that I ma dress mself! and appear

in other guise to what I do now.J The simple woman! not perceivingthe trick the were plaing upon her! ascended with them to the

doorwa! and leaving them alone! went to fetch the things whichthe demanded. Thereupon the two %psies! seeing themselves at

libert! and having alread pocketed the gold and silver which had

 been deposited for their con(uration! opened the street door! andescaped with all the speed the could.

)The beguiled widow returned laden with the clothes! and notfinding those whom she had left waiting! descended into the cellar!

when! perceiving the trick which the had plaed her! and therobber which the had committed in stealing her (ewels! she began

to cr and weep! but all in vain. All the neighbours hastened toher! and to them she related her misfortune! which served more to

raise laughter and (eers at her e+pense than to e+cite pit- thoughthe subtlet of the two she$thieves was universall praised. These

latter! as soon as the had got out of the door! knew well how toconceal themselves! for having once reached the mountain it was not

 possible to find them. #o much for their divination! theirforeseeing things to come! their power over the secrets of nature!

and their knowledge of the stars.)

The %itanas in the olden time appear to have not unfre'uentl beensub(ected to punishment as sorceresses! and with great (ustice! as

the abominable trade which the drove in philtres and decoctionscertainl entitled them to that appellation! and to the pains and

 penalties reserved for those who practised what was termed

)witchcraft.)

Amongst the crimes laid to their charge! connected with the

e+ercise of occult powers! there is one! however! of which the

were certainl not capable! as it is a purel imaginar one! thoughif the were punished for it! the had assuredl little right tocomplain! as the chastisement the met was full merited b

 practices e'uall malefic as the crime imputed to them! provided

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and turning to the ;anisar! said" )There are evil ees upon me-drive them awa.) )Take our ees off the child! Frank!) said the

;anisar! who had a long white beard! and wore a han(ar. )*hatharm can the do to the child! efendi(em4) said I. )Are the not

the ees of a Frank4) replied the ;anisar- )but were the the eesof &mar! the should not rest on the child.) )&mar!) said I! )and

wh not Ali4 5on)t ou love Ali4) )*hat matters it to ou whom I

love!) said the Turk in a rage- )look at the child again with ourchesm fanar and I will smite ou.) ),ad as m ees are!) said I!)the can see that ou do not love Ali.) )a Ali! a /ahoma!

Alahhu:) =B? said the Turk! drawing his han(ar. All Franks! bwhich are meant Christians! are considered as casters of the evil

ee. I was latel at ;anina in Albania! where a friend of mine! a

%reek gentleman! is established as phsician. )I have been

visiting the child of a ;ew that is sick!) said he to me one da-)scarcel! however! had I left the house! when the father came

running after me. Jou have cast the evil ee on m child!J saidhe- Jcome back and spit in its face.J And I assure ou!) continued

m friend! )that notwithstanding all I could sa! he compelled meto go back and spit in the face of his child.)

Perhaps there is no nation in the world amongst whom this belief is

so firml rooted and from so ancient a period as the ;ews- it beinga sub(ect treated of! and in the gravest manner! b the old

Rabbinical writers themselves! which induces the conclusion thatthe superstition of the evil ee is of an anti'uit almost as

remote as the origin of the 1ebrew race- =and can we go farther back4? as the oral traditions of the ;ews! contained and commented

upon in what is called the Talmud! are certainl not less ancientthan the inspired writings of the &ld Testament! and have unhappil

 been at all times regarded b them with e'ual if not greaterreverence.

The evil ee is mentioned in #cripture! but of course not in thefalse and superstitious sense- evil in the ee! which occurs in

Prov. ++iii. v. ! merel denoting niggardness and illiberalit.

The 1ebrew words are AI0 RA! and stand in contradistinction to AI0T&3,! or the benignant in ee! which denotes an inclination to

 bount and liberalit.

It is imagined that this blight is most easil inflicted when a person is en(oing himself with little or no care for the future!

when he is reclining in the sun before the door! or when he is fullof health and spirits" it ma be cast designedl or not- and the

same effect ma be produced b an inadvertent word. It is deemed partiall unluck to sa to an person! )1ow well ou look)- as the

 probabilities are that such an individual will receive a sudden blight and pine awa. *e have however no occasion to go to

1indoos! Turks! and ;ews for this idea- we shall find it nearerhome! or something akin to it. Is there one of ourselves! however

enlightened and free from pre(udice! who would not shrink! even inthe midst of his highest glee and en(oment! from saing! )1ow

happ I am:) or if the words inadvertentl escaped him! would henot consider them as ominous of approaching evil! and would he not

endeavour to 'ualif them b saing! )%od preserve me:) $ A! %od

 preserve ou! brother: *ho knows what the morrow will bring forth4

The common remed for the evil ee! in the East! is the spittle of

the person who has cast it! provided it can be obtained. )#pit in

the face of m child!) said the ;ew of ;anina to the %reek phsician" recourse is had to the same means in ,arbar! where thesuperstition is universal. In that countr both ;ews and /oors

carr papers about with them scrawled with hieroglphics! which are

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C1APTER I2

*1E0 the si+ hundred thousand men! =B? and the mi+ed multitude of

women and children! went forth from the land of Egpt! the %od whomthe worshipped! the onl true %od! went before them b da in a pillar of cloud! to lead them the wa! and b night in a pillar of

fire to give them light- this %od who rescued them from slaver!who guided them through the wilderness! who was their captain in

 battle! and who cast down before them the strong walls which

encompassed the towns of their enemies! this %od the still

remember! after the lapse of more than three thousand ears! andstill worship with adoration the most unbounded. If there be one

event in the eventful histor of the 1ebrews which awakens in theirminds deeper feelings of gratitude than another! it is the e+odus-

and that wonderful manifestation of olden merc still serves themas an assurance that the 7ord will et one da redeem and gather

together his scattered and oppressed people. )Art thou not the %odwho brought us out of the land of bondage4) the e+claim in the

das of their heaviest trouble and affliction. 1e who redeemedIsrael from the hand of Pharaoh is et capable of restoring the

kingdom and sceptre to Israel.

If the Romman trusted in an %od at the period of T1EIR e+odus!the must speedil have forgotten him. Coming from Ind! as the

most assuredl did! it was impossible for them to have known thetrue! and the must have been followers =if the followed an?

either of ,uddh! or ,rahmah! those tremendous phantoms which haveled! and are likel still to lead! the souls of hundreds of

millions to destruction- et the are now ignorant of such names!

nor does it appear that such were ever current amongst themsubse'uent to their arrival in Europe! if indeed the ever were.

The brought with them no Indian idols! as far as we are able to

 (udge at the present time! nor indeed Indian rites or observances!for no traces of such are to be discovered amongst them.

All! therefore! which relates to their original religion is

shrouded in mster! and is likel so to remain. The ma have been idolaters! or atheists! or what the now are! totall

neglectful of worship of an kind- and though not e+actl preparedto den the e+istence of a #upreme ,eing! as regardless of him as

if he e+isted not! and never mentioning his name! save in oaths and blasphem! or in moments of pain or sudden surprise! as the have

heard other people do! but alwas without an fi+ed belief! trust!or hope.

There are certainl some points of resemblance between the children

of Roma and those of Israel. ,oth have had an e+odus! both aree+iles and dispersed amongst the %entiles! b whom the are hated

and despised! and whom the hate and despise! under the names of,usnees and %oim- both! though speaking the language of the

%entiles! possess a peculiar tongue! which the latter do not

understand! and both possess a peculiar cast of countenance! bwhich the ma! without difficult! be distinguished from all other

nations- but with these points the similarit terminates. The

Israelites have a peculiar religion! to which the are fanaticall

attached- the Romas have none! as the invariabl adopt! thoughonl in appearance! that of the people with whom the chance toso(ourn- the Israelites possess the most authentic histor of an

 people in the world! and are ac'uainted with and delight to

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recapitulate all that has befallen their race! from ages the mostremote- the Romas have no histor! the do not even know the name

of their original countr- and the onl tradition which the possess! that of their Egptian origin! is a false one! whether

invented b themselves or others- the Israelites are of all peoplethe most wealth! the Romas the most poor $ poor as a %ps being

 proverbial amongst some nations! though both are e'uall greed of

gain- and finall! though both are noted for peculiar craft andcunning! no people are more ignorant than the Romas! whilst the;ews have alwas been a learned people! being in possession of the

oldest literature in the world! and certainl the most importantand interesting.

#ad and wear must have been the path of the mi+ed rabble of the

Romas! when the left India)s sunn land and wended their wa tothe *est! in comparison with the glorious e+odus of the Israelites

from Egpt! whose %od went before them in cloud and in fire!working miracles and astonishing the hearts of their foes.

Even supposing that the worshipped ,uddh or ,rahmah! neither of

these false deities could have accomplished for them what %odeffected for his chosen people! although it is true that the idea

that a #upreme ,eing was watching over them! in return for thereverence paid to his image! might have cheered them )midst storm

and lightning! )midst mountains and wildernesses! )midst hunger anddrought- for it is assuredl better to trust even in an idol! in a

tree! or a stone! than to be entirel godless- and the mostsuperstitious hind of the 1imalaan hills! who trusts in the %rand

Foutsa in the hour of peril and danger! is more wise than the mostenlightened atheist! who cherishes no consoling delusion to relieve

his mind! oppressed b the terrible ideas of realit.

,ut it is evident that the arrived at the confines of Europe

without an certain or rooted faith. 9nowing! as we do! with whattenacit the retain their primitive habits and customs! their sect

 being! in all points! the same as it was four hundred ears ago! it

appears impossible that the should have forgotten their peculiargod! if in an peculiar god the trusted.

Though cloud ideas of the Indian deities might be occasionall

floating in their minds! these ideas! doubtless! 'uickl passedawa when the ceased to behold the pagodas and temples of Indian

worship! and were no longer in contact with the enthusiasticadorers of the idols of the East- the passed awa even as the dim

and cloud ideas which the subse'uentl adopted of the Eternal and1is #on! /ar and the saints! would pass awa when the ceased to

 be nourished b the sight of churches and crosses- for should it please the Almight to reconduct the Romas to Indian climes! who

can doubt that within half a centur the would entirel forget allconnected with the religion of the *est: An poor shreds of that

faith which the bore with them the would drop b degrees as thewould relin'uish their European garments when the became old! and

as the relin'uished their Asiatic ones to adopt those of Europe-no particular dress makes a part of the things essential to the

sect of Roma! so likewise no particular god and no particular

religion.

*here these people first assumed the name of Egptians! or where

that title was first bestowed upon them! it is difficult to

determine- perhaps! however! in the eastern parts of Europe! whereit should seem the grand bod of this nation of wanderers made ahalt for a considerable time! and where the are still to be found

in greater numbers than in an other part. &ne thing is certain!

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that when the first entered %erman! which the speedil overran!the appeared under the character of Egptians! doing penance for

the sin of having refused hospitalit to the 8irgin and her #on!and! of course! as believers in the Christian faith!

notwithstanding that the subsisted b the perpetration of everkind of robber and imposition- Aventinus =A00A7E# ,&I&R3/! G@?

speaking of them sas" )Adeo tamen vana superstitio hominum

mentes! velut lethargus invasit! ut eos violari nefas putet! at'uegrassari! furari! imponere passim sinant.)

This singular stor of banishment from Egpt! and *andering throughthe world for a period of seven ears! for inhospitalit displaed

to the 8irgin! and which I find much difficult in attributing to

the invention of people so ignorant as the Romas! tallies strangel

with the fate foretold to the ancient Egptians in certain chaptersof E<ekiel! so much so! indeed! that it seems to be derived from

that source. The 7ord is angr with Egpt because its inhabitantshave been a staff of reed to the house of Israel! and thus he

threatens them b the mouth of his prophet.

)I will make the land of Egpt desolate in the midst of thecountries that are desolate! and her cities among the cities that

are laid waste shall be desolate fort ears" and I will scatterthe Egptians among the nations! and will disperse them through the

countries.) E<ek.! chap. ++i+. v. >@. )et thus saith the 7ord%od- at the end of fort ears will I gather the Egptians from the

 people whither the were scattered.) v. >B.

)Thus saith the 7ord- I will make the multitude of Egpt to cease! b the hand of 0ebuchadne<<ar! king of ,ablon.) Chap. +++. v. >.

)And I will scatter the Egptians among the nations! and disperse

them among the countries- and the shall know that I am the 7ord.)

Chap. +++. v. @.

The reader will at once observe that the apocrphal tale which the

Romas brought into %erman! concerning their origin and wanderings!agrees in ever material point with the sacred prophec. The

ancient Egptians were to be driven from their countr anddispersed amongst the nations! for a period of fort ears! for

having been the cause of Israel)s backsliding! and for not havingknown the 7ord! $ the modern pseudo$Egptians are to be dispersed

among the nations for seven ears! for having denied hospitalit tothe 8irgin and her child. The prophec seems onl to have been

remodelled for the purpose of suiting the taste of the time- as nolegend possessed much interest in which the 8irgin did not figure!

she and her child are here introduced instead of the Israelites!and the 7ord of 1eaven offended with the Egptians- and this legend

appears to have been ver well received in %erman! for a time atleast! for! as Aventinus observes! it was esteemed a crime of the

first magnitude to offer an violence to the Egptian pilgrims! whowere permitted to rob on the highwa! to commit larcen! and to

 practise ever species of imposition with impunit.

The tale! however! of the Romas could hardl have been invented b

themselves! as the were! and still are! utterl unac'uainted withthe #cripture- it probabl originated amongst the priests and

learned men of the east of Europe! who! startled b the sudden

apparition of bands of people foreign in appearance and language!

skilled in divination and the occult arts! endeavoured to find in#cripture a clue to such a phenomenon- the result of which was!that the Romas of 1industan were suddenl transformed into Egptian

 penitents! a title which the have ever since borne in various

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 parts of Europe. There are no means of ascertaining whether thethemselves believed from the first in this stor- the most

 probabl took it on credit! more especiall as the could give noaccount of themselves! there being ever reason for supposing that

from time immemorial the had e+isted in the East as a thievishwandering sect! as the at present do in Europe! without histor or

traditions! and unable to look back for a period of eight ears.

The tale moreover answered their purpose! as beneath the garb of penitence the could rob and cheat with impunit! for a time atleast. &ne thing is certain! that in whatever manner the tale of

their Egptian descent originated! man branches of the sect placeimplicit confidence in it at the present da! more especiall those

of England and #pain.

Even at the present time there are writers who contend that theRomas are the descendants of the ancient Egptians! who were

scattered amongst the nations b the Assrians. This belief the principall found upon particular parts of the prophec from which

we have alread 'uoted! and there is no lack of plausibilit in thearguments which the deduce therefrom. The Egptians! sa the!

were to fall upon the open fields! the were not to be broughttogether nor gathered- the were to be dispersed through the

countries! their idols were to be destroed! and their images wereto cease out of 0oph: In what people in the world do these

denunciations appear to be verified save the %psies4 $ a peoplewho pass their lives in the open fields! who are not gathered

together! who are dispersed through the countries! who have noidols! no images! nor an fi+ed or certain religion.

In #pain! the want of religion amongst the %itanos was speedil

observed! and became 'uite as notorious as their want of honest-the have been stled atheists! heathen idolaters! and /oors. In

the little book of uinones)! we find the sub(ect noticed in the

following manner"$

)The do not understand what kind of thing the church is! and never

enter it but for the purpose of committing sacrilege. The do notknow the praers- for I e+amined them mself! males and females!

and the knew them not! or if an! ver imperfectl. The never partake of the 1ol #acraments! and though the marr relations

the procure no dispensations. =BD? 0o one knows whether the are bapti<ed. &ne of the five whom I caused to be hung a few das ago

was bapti<ed in the prison! being at the time upwards of thirtears of age. 5on /artin Fa(ardo sas that two %itanos and a

%itana! whom he hanged in the village of Torre Pero(il! were bapti<ed at the foot of the gallows! and declared themselves /oors.

)The invariabl look out! when the marr! if we can call theirs

marring! for the woman most de+terous in pilfering and deceiving!caring nothing whether she is akin to them or married alread! =B?

for it is onl necessar to keep her compan and to call her wife.#ometimes the purchase them from their husbands! or receive them

as pledges" so sas! at least! 5octor #ala<ar de /endo<a.

)Friar /elchior of %uelama states that he heard asserted of two

%itanos what was never et heard of an barbarous nation! namel!that the e+changed their wives! and that as one was more comel

looking than the other! he who took the handsome woman gave a

certain sum of mone to him who took the ugl one. The licentiate

Alon<o 5uran has certified to me! that in the ear >@B$! one#imon Ramire<! captain of a band of %itanos! repudiated Teresa because she was old! and married one called /elchora! who was oung

and handsome! and that on the da when the repudiation took place

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and the bridal was celebrated he was (ourneing along the road! and perceived a compan feasting and revelling beneath some trees in a

 plain within the (urisdiction of the village of 5eleitosa! and thaton demanding the cause he was told that it was on account of #imon

Ramire< marring one %itana and casting off another- and that therepudiated woman told him! with an agon of tears! that he

abandoned her because she was old! and married another because she

was oung. Certainl %itanos and %itanas confessed before 5on/artin Fa(ardo that the did not reall marr! but that in their ban'uets and festivals the selected the woman whom the liked! and

that it was lawful for them to have as man as three mistresses!and on that account the begat so man children. The never keep

fasts nor an ecclesiastical command. The alwas eat meat! Frida

and 7ent not e+cepted- the morning when I sei<ed those whom I

afterwards e+ecuted! which was in 7ent! the had three lambs whichthe intended to eat for their dinner that da. $ uinones! page

>B.

Although what is stated in the above e+tracts! respecting themarriages of the %itanos and their licentious manner of living! is!

for the most part! incorrect! there is no reason to conclude thesame with respect to their want of religion in the olden time! and

their slight regard for the forms and observances of the church! astheir behaviour at the present da serves to confirm what is said

on those points. From the whole! we ma form a tolerabl correctidea of the opinions of the time respecting the %itanos in matters

of moralit and religion. A ver natural 'uestion now seems to present itself! namel! what steps did the government of #pain!

civil and ecclesiastical! which has so often trumpeted its <eal inthe cause of what it calls the Christian religion! which has so

often been the scourge of the ;ew! of the /ahometan! and of the professors of the reformed faith- what steps did it take towards

converting! punishing! and rooting out from #pain! a sect of demi$

atheists! who! besides being cheats and robbers! displaed the mostmarked indifference for the forms of the Catholic religion! and

 presumed to eat flesh ever da! and to intermarr with their

relations! without paing the vicegerent of Christ here on earthfor permission so to do4

The %itanos have at all times! since their first appearance in

#pain! been notorious for their contempt of religious observances-et there is no proof that the were sub(ected to persecution on

that account. The men have been punished as robbers and murderers!with the gallows and the galles- the women! as thieves and

sorceresses! with imprisonment! flagellation! and sometimes death- but as a rabble! living without fear of %od! and! b so doing!

affording an evil e+ample to the nation at large! few people gavethemselves much trouble about them! though the ma have

occasionall been designated as such in a roal edict! intended tocheck their robberies! or b some priest from the pulpit! from

whose stable the had perhaps contrived to e+tract the mule which previousl had the honour of ambling beneath his portl person.

The In'uisition! which burnt so man ;ews and /oors! and

conscientious Christians! at #eville and /adrid! and in other parts

of #pain! seems to have e+hibited the greatest clemenc andforbearance to the %itanos. Indeed! we cannot find one instance of

its having interfered with them. The charge of restraining the

e+cesses of the %itanos was abandoned entirel to the secular

authorities! and more particularl to the #anta 1ermandad! a kindof police instituted for the purpose of clearing the roads ofrobbers. *hilst I resided at Cordova! I was ac'uainted with an

aged ecclesiastic! who was priest of a village called Puente! at

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about two leagues) distance from the cit. 1e was detained inCordova on account of his political opinions! though he was

otherwise at libert. *e lived together at the same house- and hefre'uentl visited me in m apartment.

This person! who was upwards of eight ears of age! had formerl

 been in'uisitor at Cordova. &ne night! whilst we were seated

together! three %itanos entered to pa me a visit! and on observingthe old ecclesiastic! e+hibited ever mark of dissatisfaction! andspeaking in their own idiom! called him a ,A7IC1&*! and abused

 priests in general in most unmeasured terms. &n their departing! Iin'uired of the old man whether he! who having been an in'uisitor!

was doubtless versed in the annals of the hol office! could inform

me whether the In'uisition had ever taken an active measures for

the suppression and punishment of the sect of the %itanos"whereupon he replied! )that he was not aware of one case of a

%itano having been tried or punished b the In'uisition)- addingthese remarkable words" )The In'uisition alwas looked upon them

with too much contempt to give itself the slightest troubleconcerning them- for as no danger either to the state! or the

church of Rome! could proceed from the %itanos! it was a matter of perfect indifference to the hol office whether the lived without

religion or not. The hol office has alwas reserved its anger for people ver different- the %itanos having at all times been %E0TE

,ARATA 5E#PRECIA,7E.

Indeed! most of the persecutions which have arisen in #pain against;ews! /oors! and Protestants! sprang from motives with which

fanaticism and bigotr! of which it is true the #paniards havetheir full share! had ver little connection. Religion was assumed

as a mask to conceal the vilest and most detestable motives whichever et led to the commission of cring in(ustice- the ;ews were

doomed to persecution and destruction on two accounts! $ their

great riches! and their high superiorit over the #paniards inlearning and intellect. Avarice has alwas been the dominant

 passion in #panish minds! their rage for mone being onl to be

compared to the wild hunger of wolves for horse$flesh in the timeof winter" ne+t to avarice! env of superior talent and

accomplishment is the prevailing passion. These two detestablefeelings united! proved the ruin of the ;ews in #pain! who were!

for a long time! an eesore! both to the clerg and lait! fortheir great riches and learning. /uch the same causes insured the

e+pulsion of the /oriscos! who were abhorred for their superiorindustr! which the #paniards would not imitate- whilst the

reformation was kept down b the gaunt arm of the In'uisition! lestthe propert of the church should pass into other and more

deserving hands. The faggot piles in the s'uares of #eville and/adrid! which consumed the bodies of the 1ebrew! the /orisco! and

the Protestant! were lighted b avarice and env! and those same piles would likewise have consumed the mulatto carcass of the

%itano! had he been learned and wealth enough to become obno+iousto the two master passions of the #paniards.

&f all the #panish writers who have written concerning the %itanos!

the one who appears to have been most scandalised at the want of

religion observable amongst them! and their contempt for thingssacred! was a certain 5octor #ancho 5e /oncada.

This worth! whom we have alread had occasion to mention! was

Professor of Theolog at the 3niversit of Toledo! and shortlafter the e+pulsion of the /oriscos had been brought about b theintrigues of the monks and robbers who thronged the court of Philip

the Third! he endeavoured to get up a cr against the %itanos

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similar to that with which for the last half$centur #pain hadresounded against the unfortunate and oppressed Africans! and to

effect this he published a discourse! entitled )The E+pulsion ofthe %itanos!) addressed to Philip the Third! in which he con(ures

that monarch! for the sake of moralit and everthing sacred! tocomplete the good work he had commenced! and to send the %itanos

 packing after the /oriscos.

*hether this discourse produced an benefit to the author! we haveno means of ascertaining. &ne thing is certain! that it did no

harm to the %itanos! who still continue in #pain.

If he had other e+pectations! he must have understood ver little

of the genius of his countrmen! or of 9ing Philip and his court.

It would have been easier to get up a crusade against the wild catsof the sierra! than against the %itanos! as the former have skins

to reward those who sla them. 1is discourse! however! is wellworth of perusal! as it e+hibits some learning! and comprises man

curious details respecting the %itanos! their habits! and their practices. As it is not ver length! we here sub(oin it! hoping

that the reader will e+cuse its man absurdities! for the sake ofits man valuable facts.

C1APTER 2

)#IRE!

)The people of %od were alwas afflicted b the Egptians! but the

#upreme 9ing delivered them from their hands b means of man

miracles! which are related in the 1ol #criptures- and now!without having recourse to so man! but onl b means of the

miraculous talent which our /a(est possesses for e+pelling such

reprobates! he will! doubtless! free this kingdom from them! whichis what is supplicated in this discourse! and it behoves us! in the

first place! to consider 

)*1& ARE T1E %ITA0&#4

)*riters generall agree that the first time the %itanos were seenin Europe was the ear >>! which was in the time of Pope /artinus

the Fifth and 9ing 5on ;ohn the #econd- others sa that Tamerlanehad them in his camp in >>! and that their captain was Cingo!

from whence it is said that the call themselves Cingar. ,ut theopinions concerning their origin are infinite.

)The first is that the are foreigners! though authors differ much

with respect to the countr from whence the came. The ma(oritsa that the are from Africa! and that the came with the /oors

when #pain was lost- others that the are Tartars! Persians!

Cilicians! 0ubians! from 7ower Egpt! from #ria! or from other parts of Asia and Africa! and others consider them to be

descendants of Chus! son of Cain- others sa that the are of

European origin! ,ohemians! %ermans! or outcasts from other nations

of this 'uarter of the world.

)The second and sure opinion is! that those who prowl about #pain

are not Egptians! but swarms of wasps and atheistical wretches!

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without an kind of law or religion! #paniards! who have introducedthis %ps life or sect! and who admit into it ever da all the

idle and broken people of #pain. There are some foreigners whowould make #pain the origin and fountain of all the %psies of

Europe! as the sa that the proceeded from a river in #paincalled Ci(a! of which 7ucan makes mention- an opinion! however! not

much adopted amongst the learned. In the opinion of respectable

authors! the are called Cingar or Cinli! because the in everrespect resemble the bird cinclo! which we call in #panish/otacilla! or agu<anieve =wagtail?! which is a vagrant bird and

 builds no nest! =B? but broods in those of other birds! a birdrestless and poor of plumage! as AElian writes.

)T1E %ITA0&# ARE 8ER 13RTF37 T& #PAI0

)There is not a nation which does not consider them as a most

 pernicious rabble- even the Turks and /oors abominate them! amongstwhom this sect is found under the names of Torla'uis! =BG?

1ugiemalars! and 5ervislars! of whom some historians make mention!and all agree that the are most evil people! and highl

detrimental to the countr where the are found.

)In the first place! because in all parts the are considered asenemies of the states where the wander! and as spies and traitors

to the crown- which was proven b the emperors /a+imilian andAlbert! who declared them to be such in public edicts- a fact eas

to be believed! when we consider that the enter with ease into theenemies) countr! and know the languages of all nations.

)#econdl! because the are idle vagabond people! who are in no

respect useful to the kingdom- without commerce! occupation! or

trade of an description- and if the have an it is making picklocks and pothooks for appearance sake! being wasps! who onl

live b sucking and impoverishing the countr! sustaining

themselves b the sweat of the miserable labourers! as a %erman poet has said of them"$

Juos aliena (uvant! propriis habitare molestum!Fastidit patrium non nisi nosse solum.J

The are much more useless than the /oriscos! as these last were ofsome service to the state and the roal revenues! but the %itanos

are neither labourers! gardeners! mechanics! nor merchants! andonl serve! like the wolves! to plunder and to flee.

)Thirdl! because the %itanas are public harlots! common! as it is

said! to all the %itanos! and with dances! demeanour! and filthsongs! are the cause of continual detriment to the souls of the

vassals of our /a(est! it being notorious that the have doneinfinite harm in man honourable houses b separating the married

women from their husbands! and perverting the maidens" and

finall! in the best of these %itanas an one ma recognise all thesigns of a harlot given b the wise king- the are gadders about!

whisperers! alwas un'uiet in places and corners.

)Fourthl! because in all parts the are accounted famous thieves!about which authors write wonderful things- we ourselves havecontinual e+perience of this fact in #pain! where there is scarcel

a corner where the have not committed some heav offence.

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)Father /artin 5el Rio sas the were notorious when he was in 7eon

in the ear >DG- as the even attempted to sack the town of7ogrono in the time of the pest! as 5on Francisco 5e Cordoba writes

in his 5I5A#CA7IA. Enormous cases of their e+cesses we see ininfinite processes in all the tribunals! and particularl in that

of the 1ol ,rotherhood- their wickedness ascending to such a

 pitch! that the steal children! and carr them for sale to,arbar- the reason wh the /oors call them in Arabic! RA#&C1ERA0! =BH? which! as Andreas Tebetus writes! means /A#TER

T1IE8E#. Although the are addicted to ever species of robber!the mostl practise horse and cattle stealing! on which account

the are called in law A,I%E&#! and in #panish 3ATRER&#! from

which practice great evils result to the poor labourers. *hen the

cannot steal cattle! the endeavour to deceive b means of them!acting as TERCER&#! in fairs and markets.

)Fifthl! because the are enchanters! diviners! magicians!

chiromancers! who tell the future b the lines of the hand! whichis what the call ,3E0A 8E0T3RA! and are in general addicted to all

kind of superstition.

)This is the opinion entertained of them universall! and which isconfirmed ever da b e+perience- and some think that the are

caller Cingar! from the great /agian Cineus! from whom it is saidthe learned their sorceries! and from which result in #pain

=especiall amongst the vulgar? great errors! and superstitiouscredulit! might witchcrafts! and heav evils! both spiritual and

corporeal.

)#i+thl! because ver devout men consider them as heretics! andman as %entile idolaters! or atheists! without an religion!

although the e+teriorl accommodate themselves to the religion of

the countr in which the wander! being Turks with the Turks!heretics with the heretics! and! amongst the Christians! bapti<ing

now and then a child for form)s sake. Friar ;ame ,leda produces a

hundred signs! from which he concludes that the /oriscos were notChristians! all which are visible in the %itanos- ver few are

known to bapti<e their children- the are not married! but it is believed that the keep the women in common- the do not use

dispensations! nor receive the sacraments- the pa no respect toimages! rosaries! bulls! neither do the hear mass! nor divine

services- the never enter the churches! nor observe fasts! 7ent!nor an ecclesiastical precept- which enormities have been attested

 b long e+perience! as ever person sas.

)Finall! the practise ever kind of wickedness in safet! bdiscoursing amongst themselves in a language with which the

understand each other without being understood! which in #pain iscalled %erigon<a! which! as some think! ought to be called

Cingerion<a! or language of Cingar. The king our lord saw theevil of such a practice in the law which he enacted at /adrid! in

the ear >D! in which he forbade the Arabic to the /oriscos! asthe use of different languages amongst the natives of one kingdom

opens a door to treason! and is a source of heav inconvenience-

and this is e+emplified more in the case of the %itanos than of another people.

)T1E %ITA0&# &3%1T T& ,E #EI6E5 *1ERE8ER F&305

)The civil law ordains that vagrants be sei<ed wherever the are

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found! without an favour being shown to them- in conformit withwhich! the %itanos in the %reek empire were given as slaves to

those who should capture them- as respectable authors write./oreover! the emperor! our lord! has decreed b a law made in

Toledo! in the ear >D@D! T1AT T1E T1IR5 TI/E T1E ,E F&305*A05ERI0% T1E #1A77 #ER8E A# #7A8E# 53RI0% T1EIR *1&7E 7IFE T&

T1&#E *1& CAPT3RE T1E/. *hich can be easil (ustified! inasmuch as

there is no shepherd who does not place barriers against thewolves! and does not endeavour to save his flock! and I havealread e+posed to our /a(est the damage which the %itanos

 perpetrate in #pain.

)T1E %ITA0&# &3%1T T& ,E C&05E/0E5 T& 5EAT1

)The reasons are man. The first! for being spies! and traitors tothe crown- the second as idlers and vagabonds.

)It ought alwas to be considered! that no sooner did the race of

man begin! after the creation of the world! than the important point of civil polic arose of condemning vagrants to death- for

Cain was certain that he should meet his destruction in wanderingas a vagabond for the murder of Abel. ER& 8A%3# ET PR&F3%3# I0

TERRA" &/0I# I%IT3R 3I I08E0ERIT /E! &CCI5ET /E. 0ow! the I%IT3Rstands here as the natural conse'uence of 8A%3# ER&- as it is

evident! that whoever shall see me must kill me! because he sees mea wanderer. And it must alwas be remembered! that at that time

there were no people in the world but the parents and brothers ofCain! as #t. Ambrose has remarked. /oreover! %od! b the mouth of

;eremias! menaced his people! that all should devour them whilstthe went wandering amongst the mountains. And it is a doctrine

entertained b theologians! that the mere act of wandering! without

anthing else! carries with it a vehement suspicion of capitalcrime. 0ature herself demonstrates it in the curious political

sstem of the bees! in whose well$governed republic the drones are

killed in April! when the commence working.

)The third! because the are stealers of four$footed beasts! whoare condemned to death b the laws of #pain! in the wise code of

the famous 9ing 5on Alonso- which enactment became a part of thecommon law.

)The fourth! for wi<ards! diviners! and for practising arts which

are prohibited under pain of death b the divine law itself. And#aul is praised for having caused this law to be put in e+ecution

in the beginning of his reign- and the 1ol #cripture attributes tothe breach of it =namel! his consulting the witch? his disastrous

death! and the transfer of the kingdom to 5avid. The EmperorConstantine the %reat! and other emperors who founded the civil

law! condemned to death those who should practise suchfacinorousness! $ as the President of Tolosa has written.

)The last and most urgent cause is! that the are heretics! if what

is said be truth- and it is the practice of the law in #pain to

 burn such.

)T1E %ITA0&# ARE E2PE77E5 FR&/ T1E C&30TR , T1E 7A*# &F #PAI0

)Firstl! the are comprehended as hale beggars in the law of the

wise king! 5on Alonso! b which he e+pelled all sturd beggars! as

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 being idle and useless.

)#econdl! the law e+pels public harlots from the cit- and of thismatter I have alread said something in m second chapter.

)Thirdl! as people who cause scandal! and who! as is visible at

the first glance! are pre(udicial to morals and common decenc.

 0ow! it is established b the statute law of these kingdoms! thatsuch people be e+pelled therefrom- it is said so in the well$ pondered words of the edict for the e+pulsion of the /oors" JAnd

forasmuch as the sense of good and Christian government makes it amatter of conscience to e+pel from the kingdoms the things which

cause scandal! in(ur to honest sub(ects! danger to the state! and

above all! disloalt to the 7ord our %od.J Therefore! considering

the incorrigibilit of the %itanos! the #panish kings made manhol laws in order to deliver their sub(ects from such pernicious

 people.

)Fourthl! the Catholic princes! Ferdinand and Isabella! b a lawwhich the made in /edina del Campo! in the ear >H! and which

the emperor our lord renewed in Toledo in >D@B! and in /adrid in>D@G and >DB! and the late king our lord! in >D! banished them

 perpetuall from #pain! and gave them as slaves to whomsoevershould find them! after the e+piration of the term specified in the

edict $ laws which are notorious even amongst strangers. The wordsare"$ J*e declare to be vagabonds! and sub(ect to the aforesaid

 penalt! the Egptians and foreign tinkers! who b laws andstatutes of these kingdoms are commanded to depart therefrom- and

the poor sturd beggars! who contrar to the order given in the newedict! beg for alms and wander about.J

)T1E 7A*# ARE 8ER ;3#T *1IC1 E2PE7 T1E %ITA0&# FR&/ T1E #TATE#

All the doctors! who are of opinion that the %itanos ma be

condemned to death! would consider it as an act of merc in our/a(est to banish them perpetuall from #pain! and at the same time

as e+ceedingl (ust. /an and learned men not onl consider thatit is (ust to e+pel them! but cannot sufficientl wonder that the

are tolerated in Christian states! and even consider that suchtoleration is an insult to the kingdoms.

)*hilst engaged in writing this! I have seen a ver learned

memorial! in which 5octor #ala<ar de /endo<a makes the samesupplication to our /a(est which is made in this discourse!

holding it to be the imperious dut of ever good government.

)It stands in reason that the prince is bound to watch for thewelfare of his sub(ects! and the wrongs which those of our /a(est

receive from the %itanos I have alread e+posed in m secondchapter- it being a point worth of great consideration that the

wrongs caused b the /oriscos moved our roal and merciful bosomto drive them out! although the were man! and their departure

would be felt as a loss to the population! the commerce! the roal

revenues! and agriculture. 0ow! with respect to the %itanos! asthe are few! and perfectl useless for everthing! it appears more

necessar to drive them forth! the in(uries which the cause being

so numerous.

)#econdl! because the %itanos! as I have alread said! are#paniards- and as others profess the sacred orders of religion!

even so do these fellows profess gpsing! which is robber and all

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the other vices enumerated in chapter the second. And whereas itis (ust to banish from the kingdom those who have committed an

heav delin'uenc! it is still more so to banish those who professto be in(urious to all.

)Thirdl! because all the kings and rulers have alwas endeavoured

to e(ect from their kingdoms the idle and useless. And it is ver

remarkable! that the law invariabl commands them to be e+pelled!and the republics of Athens and Corinth were accustomed to do so $casting them forth like dung! even as Athenaeus writes" 0&# %E03#

1&C /&RTA7I3/ E;ICI/3# E2 1AC 3R,E 8E73T P3R%A/I0A. 0ow the profession of the %ps is idleness.

)Fourthl! because the %itanos are diviners! enchanters! and

mischievous wretches! and the law commands us to e+pel such fromthe state.

)In the fifth place! because our /a(est! in the Cortes at present

assembled! has obliged our roal conscience to fulfil all thearticles voted for the public service! and the fort$ninth sas"

J&ne of the things at present most necessar to be done in thesekingdoms! is to afford a remed for the robberies! plundering and

murders committed b the %itanos! who go wandering about thecountr! stealing the cattle of the poor! and committing a thousand

outrages! living without an fear of %od! and being Christians onlin name. It is therefore deemed e+pedient! that our /a(est

command them to 'uit these kingdoms within si+ months! to bereckoned from the da of the ratification of these presents! and

that the do not return to the same under pain of death.J

)Against this! two things ma possibl be urged"$

)The first! that the laws of #pain give unto the %itanos the

alternative of residing in large towns! which! it appears! would be better than e+pelling them. ,ut e+perience! recognised b grave

and respectable men! has shown that it is not well to harbour these

 people- for their houses are dens of thieves! from whence the prowl abroad to rob the land.

)The second! that it appears a pit to banish the women and

children. ,ut to this can be opposed that hol act of our /a(estwhich e+pelled the /oriscos! and the children of the /oriscos! for

the reason given in the roal edict. *1E0E8ER A0 5ETE#TA,7E CRI/EI# C&//ITTE5 , A0 30I8ER#IT! IT I# *E77 T& P30I#1 A77. And the

most detestable crimes of all are those which the %itanos commit!since it is notorious that the subsist on what the steal- and as

to the children! there is no law which obliges us to bring up wolf$whelps! to cause here$after certain damage to the flock.

)IT 1A# E8ER ,EE0 T1E PRACTICE &F PRI0CE# T& E2PE7 T1E %ITA0&#

)Ever one who considers the manner of our /a(est)s government as

the trul Christian pattern must entertain fervent hope that the

advice proffered in this discourse will be attended to- moreespeciall on reflecting that not onl the good! but even the most

 barbarous kings have acted up to it in their respective dominions.

)Pharaoh was bad enough! nevertheless he (udged that the childrenof Israel were dangerous to the state! because the appeared to himto be living without an certain occupation- and for this ver

reason the Chaldeans cast them out of ,ablon. Amasis! king of

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Egpt! drove all the vagrants from his kingdom! forbidding them toreturn under pain of death. The #oldan of Egpt e+pelled the

Torla'uis. The /oors did the same- and ,a(a<et cast them out ofall the &ttoman empire! according to 7eo Clavius.

)In the second place! the Christian princes have deemed it an

important measure of state.

)The emperor our 7ord! in the %erman 5iets of the ear >DG!e+pelled the %itanos from all his empire! and these were the words

of the decree" J6igeuner 'uos compertum est proditores esse! ete+ploratores hostium nus'uam in imperio locum inveniunto. In

deprehensos vis et in(uria sine fraude esto. Fides publica

6igeuners ne dator! nec data servator.J

)The 9ing of France! Francis! e+pelled them from thence- and the

5uke of Terranova! when %overnor of /ilan for our lord the king!obliged them to depart from that territor under pain of death.

)Thirdl! there is one grand reason which ought to be conclusive in

moving him who so much values himself in being a faithful son ofthe church! $ I mean the e+ample which Pope Pius the Fifth gave to

all the princes- for he drove the %itanos from all his domains! andin the ear >DG! he e+pelled the ;ews! assigning as reasons for

their e+pulsion those which are more closel applicable to the%itanos- $ namel! that the sucked the vitals of the state!

without being of an utilit whatever- that the were thievesthemselves! and harbourers of others- that the were wi<ards!

diviners! and wretches who induced people to believe that the knewthe future! which is what the %itanos at present do b telling

fortunes.

)our /a(est has alread freed us from greater and more dangerous

enemies- finish! therefore! the enterprise begun! whence willresult universal (o and securit! and b which our /a(est will

earn immortal honour. Amen.

)& Regum summe! horum plura ne temnas =absit? ne forte tempsisse

1ispaniae periculosum e+istat.)

C1APTER 2I

PER1AP# there is no countr in which more laws have been framed!having in view the e+tinction and suppression of the %ps name!

race! and manner of life! than #pain. Ever monarch! during a period of three hundred ears! appears at his accession to the

throne to have considered that one of his first and most imperativeduties consisted in suppressing or checking the robberies! frauds!

and other enormities of the %itanos! with which the whole countrseems to have resounded since the time of their first appearance.

The have! b roal edicts! been repeatedl banished from #pain!under terrible penalties! unless the renounced their inveterate

habits- and for the purpose of eventuall confounding them with the

residue of the population! the have been forbidden! even when

stationar! to reside together! ever famil being en(oined to liveapart! and neither to seek nor to hold communication with others ofthe race.

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*e shall sa nothing at present as to the wisdom which dictatedthese provisions! nor whether others might not have been devised!

 better calculated to produce the end desired. Certain it is! thatthe laws were never! or ver imperfectl! put in force! and for

reasons with which their e+pedienc or e'uit =which no one at thetime impugned? had no connection whatever.

It is true that! in a countr like #pain! abounding in wildernessesand almost inaccessible mountains! the task of hunting down ande+terminating or banishing the roving bands would have been found

one of no slight difficult! even if such had ever been attempted- but it must be remembered! that from an earl period colonies of

%itanos have e+isted in the principal towns of #pain! where the men

have plied the trades of (ockes and blacksmiths! and the women

subsisted b divination! and all kinds of fraud. These colonieswere! of course! alwas within the reach of the hand of (ustice!

et it does not appear that the were more interfered with than theroving and independent bands! and that an serious attempts were

made to break them up! though notorious as nurseries and refuges ofcrime.

It is a lamentable fact! that pure and uncorrupt (ustice has never

e+isted in #pain! as far at least as record will allow us to (udge-not that the principles of (ustice have been less understood there

than in other countries! but because the entire sstem of (usticiar administration has ever been shamelessl profligate and

vile.

#panish (ustice has invariabl been a mocker! a thing to be boughtand sold! terrible onl to the feeble and innocent! and an

instrument of cruelt and avarice.

The tremendous satires of 7e #age upon #panish corregidors and

algua<ils are true! even at the present da! and the most notoriousoffenders can generall escape! if able to administer sufficient

 bribes to the ministers =? of what is misnamed (ustice.

The reader! whilst perusing the following e+tracts from the laws

framed against the %itanos! will be filled with wonder that the%ps sect still e+ists in #pain! contrar to the declared will of

the sovereign and the nation! so often repeated during a period ofthree hundred ears- et such is the fact! and it can onl be

accounted for on the ground of corruption.

It was notorious that the %itanos had powerful friends andfavourers in ever district! who sanctioned and encouraged them in

their %ps practices. These their fautors were of all ranks andgrades! from the corregidor of noble blood to the low and obscure

escribano- and from the vicero of the province to the archer ofthe 1ermandad.

To the high and noble! the were known as Chalanes! and to the

 plebeian functionaries! as people who! notwithstanding theirgeneral povert! could pa for protection.

A law was even enacted against these protectors of the %itanos!which of course failed! as the e+ecution of the law was confided to

the ver delin'uents against whom it was directed. Thus! the

%itano bought! sold! and e+changed animals openl! though he

sub(ected himself to the penalt of death b so doing! or left hishabitation when he thought fit! though such an act! b the law ofthe land! was punishable with the galles.

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In one of their songs the have commemorated the impunit withwhich the wandered about. The escribano! to whom the %itanos of

the neighbourhood pa contribution! on a strange %ps being brought before him! instantl orders him to be liberated! assigning

as a reason that he is no %itano! but a legitimate #paniard"$

)I left m house! and walked aboutThe sei<ed me fast! and bound"It is a %ps thief! the shout!

The #paniards here have found.

)From out the prison me the led!

,efore the scribe the brought-

It is no %ps thief! he said!The #paniards here have caught.)

In a word! nothing was to be gained b interfering with the%itanos! b those in whose hands the power was vested- but! on the

contrar! something was to be lost. The chief sufferers were thelabourers! and the had no power to right themselves! though their

wrongs were universall admitted! and laws for their protectioncontinuall being made! which their enemies contrived to set at

nought- as will presentl be seen.

The first law issued against the %psies appears to have been thatof Ferdinand and Isabella! at /edina del Campo! in >HH. In this

edict the were commanded! under certain penalties! to becomestationar in towns and villages! and to provide themselves with

masters whom the might serve for their maintenance! or in defaultthereof! to 'uit the kingdom at the end of si+t das. 0o mention

is made of the countr to which the were e+pected to betake

themselves in the event of their 'uitting #pain. Perhaps! as theare called Egptians! it was concluded that the would forthwith

return to Egpt- but the framers of the law never seem to have

considered what means these Egptians possessed of transportingtheir families and themselves across the sea to such a distance! or

if the betook themselves to other countries! what reception a hostof people! confessedl thieves and vagabonds! were likel to meet

with! or whether it was fair in the T*& C1RI#TIA0 PRI0CE# to getrid of such a nuisance at the e+pense of their neighbours. #uch

matters were of course left for the %psies themselves to settle.

In this edict! a class of individuals is mentioned in con(unctionwith the %itanos! or %psies! but distinguished from them b the

name of foreign tinkers! or Calderos estrangeros. , these! we presume! were meant the Calabrians! who are still to be seen upon

the roads of #pain! wandering about from town to town! in much thesame wa as the itinerant tinkers of England at the present da. A

man! half a savage! a haggard woman! who is generall a #paniard! awretched child! and still more miserable donke! compose the group-

the gains are of course e+ceedingl scant! nevertheless this life!seemingl so wretched! has its charms for these outcasts! who live

without care and an+iet! without a thought beond the present

hour! and who sleep as sound in ruined posadas and ventas! or inravines amongst rocks and pines! as the proudest grandee in his

 palace at #eville or /adrid.

5on Carlos and 5onna ;uanna! at Toledo! >DBH! confirmed the edictof /edina del Campo against the Egptians! with the addition! thatif an Egptian! after the e+piration of the si+t das! should be

found wandering about! he should be sent to the galles for si+

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ears! if above the age of twent and under that of fift! and ifunder or above those ears! punished as the preceding law provides.

Philip the #econd! at /adrid! >DG! after commanding that all the

laws and edicts be observed! b which the %psies are forbidden towander about! and commanded to establish themselves! ordains! with

the view of restraining their thievish and cheating practices! that

none of them be permitted to sell anthing! either within orwithout fairs or markets! if not provided with a testimon signed b the notar public! to prove that the have a settled residence!

and where it ma be- which testimon must also specif and describethe horses! cattle! linen! and other things! which the carr forth

for sale- otherwise the are to be punished as thieves! and what

the attempt to sell considered as stolen propert.

Philip the Third! at ,elem! in Portugal! >>H! commands all the

%psies of the kingdom to 'uit the same within the term of si+months! and never to return! under pain of death- those who should

wish to remain are to establish themselves in cities! towns! andvillages! of one thousand families and upwards! and are not to be

allowed the use of the dress! name! and language of %psies! I0&R5ER T1AT! F&RA#/3C1 A# T1E ARE 0&T #3C1 , 0ATI&0! T1I# 0A/E A05

/A00ER &F 7IFE /A ,E F&R E8ER/&RE C&0F&305E5 A05 F&R%&TTE0. Theare moreover forbidden! under the same penalt! to have anthing to

do with the buing or selling of cattle! whether great or small.

The most curious portion of the above law is the passage in whichthese people are declared not to be %psies b nation. If the are

not %psies! who are the then4 #paniards4 If so! what right hadthe 9ing of #pain to send the refuse of his sub(ects abroad! to

corrupt other lands! over which he had no (urisdiction4

The /oors were sent back to Africa! under some colour of (ustice!

as the came originall from that part of the world- but what wouldhave been said to such a measure! if the edict which banished them

had declared that the were not /oors! but #paniards4

The law! moreover! in stating that the are not %psies b nation!

seems to have forgotten that in that case it would be impossible todistinguish them from other #paniards! so soon as the should have

dropped the name! language! and dress of %psies. 1ow! providedthe were like other #paniards! and did not carr the mark of

another nation on their countenances! could it be known whether ornot the obeed the law! which commanded them to live onl in

 populous towns or villages! or how could the be detected in the buing or selling of cattle! which the law forbids them under pain

of death4

The attempt to abolish the %ps name and manner of life might have been made without the assertion of a palpable absurdit.

Philip the Fourth! /a G! >BB! after reference to the evil lives

and want of religion of the %psies! and the complaints madeagainst them b prelates and others! declares )that the laws

hitherto adopted since the ear >HH! have been inefficient to

restrain their e+cesses- that the are not %psies b origin ornature! but have adopted this form of life)- and then! after

forbidding them! according to custom! the dress and language of

%psies! under the usual severe penalties! he ordains"$

)>st. That under the same penalties! the aforesaid people shall!within two months! leave the 'uarters =barrios? where the now live

with the denomination of %itanos! and that the shall separate from

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each other! and mingle with the other inhabitants! and that theshall hold no more meetings! neither in public nor in secret- that

the ministers of (ustice are to observe! with particular diligence!how the fulfil these commands! and whether the hold communication

with each other! or marr amongst themselves- and how the fulfilthe obligations of Christians b assisting at sacred worship in the

churches- upon which latter point the are to procure information

with all possible secrec from the curates and clerg of the parishes where the %itanos reside.

)@ndl. And in order to e+tirpate! in ever wa! the name of%itanos! we ordain that the be not called so! and that no one

venture to call them so! and that such shall be esteemed a ver

heav in(ur! and shall be punished as such! if proved! and that

nought pertaining to the %psies! their name! dress! or actions! berepresented! either in dances or in an other performance! under

the penalt of two ears) banishment! and a mulct of fift thousandmaravedis to whomsoever shall offend for the first time! and double

 punishment for the second.)

The above two articles seem to have in view the suppression and breaking up of the %ps colonies established in the large towns!

more especiall the suburbs- farther on! mention is made of thewandering bands.

)thl. And forasmuch as we have understood that numerous %itanos

rove in bands through various parts of the kingdom! committingrobberies in uninhabited places! and even invading some small

villages! to the great terror and danger of the inhabitants! wegive b this our law a general commission to all ministers of

 (ustice! whether appertaining to roal domains! lordships! orabbatial territories! that ever one ma! in his district! proceed

to the imprisonment and chastisement of the delin'uents! and ma

 pass beond his own (urisdiction in pursuit of them- and we alsocommand all the ministers of (ustice aforesaid! that on receiving

information that %itanos or highwamen are prowling in their

districts! the do assemble at an appointed da! and with thenecessar preparation of men and arms the do hunt down! take! and

deliver them under a good guard to the nearest officer holding theroal commission.)

Carlos the #econd followed in the footsteps of his predecessors!

with respect to the %itanos. , a law of the @th of 0ovember>H@! he inhibits the %itanos from living in towns of less than one

thousand heads of families =vecinos?! and pursuing an trade oremploment! save the cultivation of the ground- from going in the

dress of %psies! or speaking the language or gibberish which theuse- from living apart in an particular 'uarter of the town- from

visiting fairs with cattle! great or small! or even selling ore+changing such at an time! unless with the testimonial of the

 public notar! that the were bred within their own houses. ,this law the are also forbidden to have firearms in their

 possession.

#o far from being abashed b this law! or the preceding one! the

%itanos seem to have increased in e+cesses of ever kind. &nlthree ears after =>@th ;une >HD?! the same monarch deemed it

necessar to publish a new law for their persecution and

chastisement. This law! which is e+ceedingl severe! consists of

twent$nine articles. , the fourth the are forbidden an othere+ercise or manner of life than that of the cultivation of thefields! in which their wives and children! if of competent age! are

to assist them.

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&f ever other office! emploment! or commerce! the are declared

incapable! and especiall of being ,7AC9#/IT1#.

, the fifth! the are forbidden to keep horses or mares! eitherwithin or without their houses! or to make use of them in an wa

whatever! under the penalt of two months) imprisonment and the

forfeiture of such animals- and an one lending them a horse or amare is to forfeit the same! if it be found in their possession.The are declared onl capable of keeping a mule! or some lesser

 beast! to assist them in their labour! or for the use of theirfamilies.

, the twelfth! the are to be punished with si+ ears in the

galles! if the leave the towns or villages in which the arelocated! and pass to others! or wander in the fields or roads- and

the are onl to be permitted to go out! in order to e+ercise the pursuit of husbandr. In this edict! particular mention is made of

the favour and protection shown to the %itanos! b people ofvarious descriptions! b means of which the had been enabled to

follow their manner of life undisturbed! and to baffle the severitof the laws"$

)Article >. $ And because we understand that the continuance in

these kingdoms of those who are called %itanos has depended on thefavour! protection! and assistance which the have e+perienced from

 persons of different stations! we do ordain! that whosoever!against whom shall be proved the fact of having! since the da of

the publication hereof! favoured! received! or assisted the said%itanos! in an manner whatever! whether within their houses or

without! the said person! provided he is noble! shall be sub(ectedto the fine of si+ thousand ducats! the half of which shall be

applied to our treasur! and the other half to the e+penses of the

 prosecution- and! if a plebeian! to a punishment of ten ears inthe galles. And we declare! that in order to proceed to the

infliction of such fine and punishment! the evidence of two

respectable witnesses! without stain or suspicion! shall beesteemed legitimate and conclusive! although the depose to

separate acts! or three depositions of the %itanos themselves! /A5E3P&0 T1E RAC9! although the relate to separate and different acts

of abetting and harbouring.)

The following article is curious! as it bears evidence to %pscraft and cunning"$

)Article >G. $ And whereas it is ver difficult to prove against

the %itanos the robberies and delin'uencies which the commit! partl because the happen in uninhabited places! but more

especiall on account of the /A7ICE and C300I0% with which thee+ecute them- we do ordain! in order that the ma receive the

merited chastisement! that to convict! in these cases! those whoare called %itanos! the depositions of the persons whom the have

robbed in uninhabited places shall be sufficient! provided thereare at least two witnesses to one and the same fact! and these of

good fame and reputation- and we also declare! that the C&RP3#

5E7ICTI ma be proved in the same manner in these cases! in orderthat the culprits ma be proceeded against! and condemned to the

corresponding pains and punishments.)

The council of /adrid published a schedule! >Gth of August >D!from which it appears that the villages and roads were so muchinfested b the %itano race! that there was neither peace nor

safet for labourers and travellers- the corregidors and (ustices

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are therefore e+horted to use their utmost endeavour to apprehendthese outlaws! and to e+ecute upon them the punishments en(oined b

the preceding law. The ministers of (ustice are empowered to fireupon them as public enemies! wherever the meet them! in case of

resistance or refusal to deliver up the arms the carr about them.

Philip the Fifth! b schedule! &ctober >st! >@! forbade an

complaints which the %itanos might have to make against theinferior (ustices being heard in the higher tribunals! and! on thataccount! banished all the %ps women from /adrid! and! indeed!

from all towns where roal audiences were held! it being the customof the women to flock up to the capital from the small towns and

villages! under pretence of claiming satisfaction for wrongs

inflicted upon their husbands and relations! and when there to

 practise the art of divination! and to sing obscene songs throughthe streets- b this law! also! the (ustices are particularl

commanded not to permit the %itanos to leave their places ofdomicile! e+cept in cases of ver urgent necessit.

This law was attended with the same success as the others- the

%itanos left their places of domicile whenever the thought proper!fre'uented the various fairs! and plaed off their (ocke tricks as

usual! or traversed the countr in armed gangs! plundering thesmall villages! and assaulting travellers.

The same monarch! in &ctober! published another law against them!

from #t. 7oren<o! of the Escurial. From the words of this edict!and the measures resolved upon! the reader ma form some idea of

the e+cesses of the %itanos at this period. The are to be hunteddown with fire and sword! and even the sanctit of the temples is

to be invaded in their pursuit! and the %itanos dragged from thehorns of the altar! should the flee thither for refuge. It was

impossible! in #pain! to carr the severit of persecution farther!

as the ver parricide was in perfect safet! could he escape to thechurch. 1ere follows part of this law"$

)I have resolved that all the lord$lieutenants! intendants! andcorregidors shall publish proclamations! and fi+ edicts! to the

effect that all the %itanos who are domiciled in the cities andtowns of their (urisdiction shall return within the space of

fifteen das to their places of domicile! under penalt of beingdeclared! at the e+piration of that term! as public banditti!

sub(ect to be fired at in the event of being found with arms! orwithout them! beond the limits of their places of domicile- and at

the e+piration of the term aforesaid! the lord$lieutenants!intendants! and corregidors are strictl commanded! that either

the themselves! or suitable persons deputed b them! march outwith armed soldier! or if there be none at hand! with the

militias! and their officers! accompanied b the horse rangers!destined for the protection of the revenue! for the purpose of

scouring the whole district within their (urisdiction! making useof all possible diligence to apprehend such %itanos as are to be

found on the public roads and other places beond their domiciliar bounds! and to inflict upon them the penalt of death! for the mere

act of being found.

)And in the event of their taking refuge in sacred places! the are

empowered to drag them forth! and conduct them to the neighbouring

 prisons and fortresses! and provided the ecclesiastical (udges

 proceed against the secular! in order that the be restored to thechurch! the are at libert to avail themselves of the recourse toforce! countenanced b laws declaring! even as I now declare! that

all the %itanos who shall leave their allotted places of abode! are

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to be held as incorrigible rebels! and enemies of the public peace.)

From this period! until the ear >G! various other laws and

schedules were directed against the %itanos! which! as the containnothing ver new or remarkable! we ma be well e+cused from

 particularising. In >GB! a law was passed b the government!

widel differing in character from an which had hitherto beenenacted in connection with the %itano caste or religion in #pain.

C1APTER 2II

CAR7&# TERCER&! or Charles the Third! ascended the throne of #painin the ear >DH! and died in >GG. 0o #panish monarch has left

 behind a more favourable impression on the minds of the generalitof his countrmen- indeed! he is the onl one who is remembered at

all b all ranks and conditions- $ perhaps he took the surest meansfor preventing his name being forgotten! b erecting a durable

monument in ever large town! $ we do not mean a pillar surmounted b a statue! or a colossal figure on horseback! but some useful and

statel public edifice. All the magnificent modern buildings whichattract the ee of the traveller in #pain! sprang up during the

reign of Carlos Tercero! $ for e+ample! the museum at /adrid! thegigantic tobacco fabric at #eville! $ half fortress! half

manufactor! $ and the Farol! at Coruna. *e suspect that theseerections! which speak to the ee! have gained him far greater

credit amongst #paniards than the support which he afforded toliberal opinions! which served to fan the flame of insurrection in

the new world! and eventuall lost for #pain her transatlantic

empire.

*e have said that he left behind him a favourable impression

amongst the generalit of his countrmen- b which we mean thegreat bod found in ever nation! who neither think nor reason! $

for there are amongst the #paniards not a few who den that an ofhis actions entitle him to the gratitude of the nation. )All his

thoughts!) sa the! )were directed to hunting $ and hunting alone-and all the das of the ear he emploed himself either in hunting

or in preparation for the sport. In one e+pedition! in the parksof the Pardo! he spent several millions of reals. The noble

edifices which adorn #pain! though built b his orders! are lessdue to his reign than to the anterior one! $ to the reign of

Ferdinand the #i+th! who left immense treasures! a small portion ofwhich Carlos Tercero devoted to these purposes! s'uandering awa

the remainder. It is said that Carlos Tercero was no friend tosuperstition- et how little did #pain during his time gain in

religious libert: The great part of the nation remainedintolerant and theocratic as before! the other and smaller section

turned philosophic! but after the insane manner of the Frenchrevolutionists! intolerant in its incredulit! and believing more

in the E0CC7&PE5IE than in the %ospel of the 0a<arene.) =>?

*e should not have said thus much of Carlos Tercero! whose

character has been e+travagantl praised b the multitude! and

severel criticised b the discerning few who look deeper than the

surface of things! if a law passed during his reign did not connecthim intimatel with the histor of the %itanos! whose condition toa certain e+tent it has alread altered! and over whose future

destinies there can be no doubt that it will e+ert considerable

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influence. *hether Carlos Tercero had anthing farther to do withits enactment than subscribing it with his own hand! is a point

difficult to determine- the chances are that he had not- there isdamning evidence to prove that in man respects he was a mere

 0imrod! and it is not probable that such a character would occuphis thoughts much with plans for the welfare of his people!

especiall such a class as the %itanos! however willing to build

 public edifices! gratifing to his vanit! with the mone which a provident predecessor had amassed.

The law in 'uestion is dated >Hth #eptember >GB. It is entitled!)Rules for repressing and chastising the vagrant mode of life! and

other e+cesses! of those who are called %itanos.) It is in man

respects widel different from all the preceding laws! and on that

account we have separated it from them! deeming it worth of particular notice. It is evidentl the production of a

comparativel enlightened spirit! for #pain had alread begun toemerge from the drear night of monachism and bigotr! though the

light which beamed upon her was not that of the %ospel! but ofmodern philosoph. The spirit! however! of the writers of the

E0CC7&PE5IE is to be preferred to that of T&R3E/A5A A05 /&0CA5A!and however deepl we ma lament the man grievous omissions in the

law of Carlos Tercero =for no provision was made for the spiritualinstruction of the %itanos?! we prefer it in all points to that of

Philip the Third! and to the law passed during the reign of thatunhapp victim of monkish fraud! perfid! and poison! Charles the

#econd.

*hoever framed the law of Carlos Tercero with respect to the%itanos! had sense enough to see that it would be impossible to

reclaim and bring them within the pale of civilised societ b pursuing the course invariabl adopted on former occasions $ to see

that all the menacing edicts for the last three hundred ears!

 breathing a spirit of blood and persecution! had been unable toeradicate %itanismo from #pain- but on the contrar! had rather

served to e+tend it. *hoever framed this law was! moreover! well

ac'uainted with the manner of administering (ustice in #pain! andsaw the foll of making statutes which were never put into effect.

Instead! therefore! of reling on corregidors and algua<ils for thee+tinction of the %ps sect! the statute addresses itself more

 particularl to the %itanos themselves! and endeavours to convincethem that it would be for their interest to renounce their much

cherished %itanismo. Those who framed the former laws hadinvariabl done their best to brand this race with infam! and had

marked out for its members! in the event of abandoning their %pshabits! a life to which death itself must have been preferable in

ever respect. The were not to speak to each other! nor tointermarr! though! as the were considered of an impure caste! it

was scarcel to be e+pected that the other #paniards would formwith them relations of love or amit! and the were debarred the

e+ercise of an trade or occupation but hard labour! for whichneither b nature nor habit the were at all adapted. The law of

Carlos Tercero! on the contrar! flung open to them the wholecareer of arts and sciences! and declared them capable of following

an trade or profession to which the might please to addict

themselves. 1ere follow e+tracts from the above$mentioned law"$

)Art. >. I declare that those who go b the name of %itanos are

not so b origin or nature! nor do the proceed from an infected

root.

)@. I therefore command that neither the! nor an one of them

shall use the language! dress! or vagrant kind of life which the

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have followed unto the present time! under the penalties here belowcontained.

)B. I forbid all m vassals! of whatever state! class! and

condition the ma be! to call or name the above$mentioned people b the names of %itanos! or new Castilians! under the same

 penalties to which those are sub(ect who in(ure others b word or

writing.

)D. It is m will that those who abandon the said mode of life!

dress! language! or (argon! be admitted to whatever offices oremploments to which the ma appl themselves! and likewise to an

guilds or communities! without an obstacle or contradiction being

offered to them! or admitted under this prete+t within or without

courts of law.

). Those who shall oppose and refuse the admission of this classof reclaimed people to their trades and guilds shall be mulcted ten

ducats for the first time! twent for the second! and a double'uantit for the third- and during the time the continue in their

opposition the shall be prohibited from e+ercising the same trade!for a certain period! to be determined b the (udge! and

 proportioned to the opposition which the displa.

). I grant the term of ninet das! to be reckoned from the publication of this law in the principal town of ever district! in

order that all the vagabonds of this and an other class ma retireto the towns and villages where the ma choose to locate

themselves! with the e+ception! for the present! of the capital andthe roal residences! in order that! abandoning the dress!

language! and behaviour of those who are called %itanos! the madevote themselves to some honest office! trade! or occupation! it

 being a matter of indifference whether the same be connected with

labour or the arts.

)G. It will not be sufficient for those who have been formerl

known to follow this manner of life to devote themselves solel tothe occupation of shearing and clipping animals! nor to the traffic

of markets and fairs! nor still less to the occupation of keepersof inns and ventas in uninhabited places! although the ma be

innkeepers within towns! which emploment shall be considered assufficient! provided alwas there be no well$founded indications of

their being delin'uents themselves! or harbourers of such people.

)H. At the e+piration of ninet das! the (ustices shall proceedagainst the disobedient in the following manner"$ Those who! having

abandoned the dress! name! language or (argon! association! andmanners of %itanos! and shall have moreover chosen and established

a domicile! but shall not have devoted themselves to an office oremploment! though it be onl that of da$labourers! shall be

considered as vagrants! and be apprehended and punished accordingto the laws in force against such people without an distinction

 being made between them and the other vassals.

)>. Those who henceforth shall commit an crimes! having

abandoned the language! dress! and manners of %itanos! chosen adomicile! and applied themselves to an office! shall be prosecuted

and chastised like others guilt of the same crimes! without an

difference being made between them.

)>>. ,ut those who shall have abandoned the aforesaid dress!language and behaviour! and those who! pretending to speak and

dress like the other vassals! and even to choose a domiciliar

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residence! shall continue to go forth! wandering about the roadsand uninhabited places! although it be with the prete+t of visiting

markets and fairs! such people shall be pursued and taken b the (ustices! and a list of them formed! with their names and

appellations! age! description! with the places where the sa thereside and were born.

)>. I! however! e+cept from punishment the children and oung people of both se+es who are not above si+teen ears of age.

)>. #uch! although the ma belong to a famil! shall beseparated from their parents who wander about and have no

emploment! and shall be destined to learn something! or shall be

 placed out in hospices or houses of instruction.

)@. *hen the register of the %itanos who have proved disobedient

shall have taken place! it shall be notified and made known tothem! that in case of another relapse! the punishment of death

shall be e+ecuted upon them without remission! on the e+aminationof the register! and proof being adduced that the have returned to

their former life.)

*hat effect was produced b this law! and whether its results atall corresponded to the views of those who enacted it! will be

gathered from the following chapters of this work! in which anattempt will be made to delineate briefl the present condition of

the %psies in #pain.

T1E 6I0CA7I $ PART II

C1APTER I

A,&3T twelve in the afternoon of the th of ;anuar >GB! I crossedthe bridge of the %uadiana! a boundar river between Portugal and

#pain! and entered ,ada(o<! a strong town in the latter kingdom!containing about eight thousand inhabitants! supposed to have been

founded b the Romans. I instantl returned thanks to %od forhaving preserved me in a (ourne of five das through the wilds of

the Alemte(o! the province of Portugal the most infested b robbersand desperate characters! which I had traversed with no other human

companion than a lad! almost an idiot! who was to conve back themules which had brought me from Aldea %allega. I intended to make

 but a short sta! and as a diligence would set out for /adrid theda ne+t but one to m arrival! I purposed departing therein for

the capital of #pain.

I was standing at the door of the inn where I had taken up m

temporar abode- the weather was gloom! and rain seemed to be athand- I was thinking on the state of the countr I had (ust

entered! which was involved in blood anarch and confusion! and

where the ministers of a religion falsel stled Catholic and

Christian were blowing the trump of war! instead of preaching thelove$engendering words of the blessed %ospel.

#uddenl two men! wrapped in long cloaks! came down the narrow and

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almost deserted street- the were about to pass! and the face ofthe nearest was turned full towards me- I knew to whom the

countenance which he displaed must belong! and I touched him onthe arm. The man stopped! and likewise his companion- I said a

certain word! to which! after an e+clamation of surprise! heresponded in the manner I e+pected. The men were %itanos or

%psies! members of that singular famil or race which has diffused

itself over the face of the civilised globe! and which! in alllands! has preserved more or less its original customs and its own peculiar language.

*e instantl commenced discoursing in the #panish dialect of this

language! with which I was tolerabl well ac'uainted. I asked m

two newl$made ac'uaintances whether there were man of their race

in ,ada(o< and the vicinit" the informed me that there wereeight or ten families in the town! and that there were others at

/erida! a town about si+ leagues distant. I in'uired b what meansthe lived! and the replied that the and their brethren

 principall gained a livelihood b trafficking in mules and asses! but that all those in ,ada(o< were ver poor! with the e+ception of

one man! who was e+ceedingl ,A7,A7&! or rich! as he was in possession of man mules and other cattle. The removed their

cloaks for a moment! and I found that their under$garments wererags.

The left me in haste! and went about the town informing the rest

that a stranger had arrived who spoke Romman as well asthemselves! who had the face of a %itano! and seemed to be of the

)errate!) or blood. In less than half an hour the street beforethe inn was filled with the men! women! and children of Egpt. I

went out amongst them! and m heart sank within me as I surveedthem" so much vileness! dirt! and miser I had never seen amongst

a similar number of human beings- but worst of all was the evil

e+pression of their countenances! which spoke plainl that thewere conversant with ever species of crime! and it was not long

 before I found that their countenances did not belie them. After

the had asked me an infinit of 'uestions! and felt m hands!face! and clothes! the retired to their own homes.

That same night the two men of whom I have alread particularl

spoken came to see me. The sat down b the brasero in the middleof the apartment! and began to smoke small paper cigars. *e

continued for a considerable time in silence surveing each other.&f the two %itanos one was an elderl man! tall and bon! with

lean! skinn! and whimsical features! though perfectl those of a%ps- he spoke little! and his e+pressions were generall singular

and grotes'ue. 1is companion! who was the man whom I had firstnoticed in the street! differed from him in man respects- he could

 be scarcel thirt! and his figure! which was about the middleheight! was of 1erculean proportions- shagg black hair! like that

of a wild beast! covered the greatest part of his immense head- hisface was frightfull seamed with the small$po+! and his ees! which

glared like those of ferrets! peered from beneath bush eebrows-he wore immense moustaches! and his wide mouth was garnished with

teeth e+ceedingl large and white. There was one peculiarit about

him which must not be forgotten" his right arm was withered! andhung down from his shoulder a thin sapless stick! which contrasted

strangel with the huge brawn of the left. A figure so perfectl

wild and uncouth I had scarcel ever before seen. 1e had now flung

aside his cloak! and sat before me gaunt in his rags and nakedness.In spite of his appearance! however! he seemed to be much the mostsensible of the two- and the conversation which ensued was carried

on chiefl between him and mself. This man! whom I shall call the

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first %ps! was the first to break silence- and he thus addressedme! speaking in #panish! broken with words of the %ps tongue"$

FIR#T %P#. $ )Arromali =in truth?! I little thought when I saw

the errano standing b the door of the posada that I was about tomeet a brother $ one too who! though well dressed! was not ashamed

to speak to a poor %itano- but tell me! I beg ou! brother! from

whence ou come- I have heard that ou have (ust arrived from7aloro! but I am sure ou are no Portuguese- the Portuguese arever different from ou- I know it! for I have been in 7aloro- I

rather take ou to be one of the Corahai! for I have heard sa thatthere is much of our blood there. ou are a Corahano! are ou

not4)

/#E7F. $ )I am no /oor! though I have been in the countr. I was born in an island in the *est #ea! called England! which I suppose

ou have heard spoken of.)

FIR#T %P#. $ )es! es! I have a right to know something of theEnglish. I was born in this foros! and remember the da when the

English hundunares clambered over the walls! and took the town fromthe %abine" well do I remember that da! though I was but a child-

the streets ran red with blood and wine: Are there %itanos thenamongst the English4)

/#E7F. $ )There are numbers! and so there are amongst most nations

of the world.)

#EC&05 %P#. $ )8aa: And do the English Calore gain their breadin the same wa as those of #pain4 5o the shear and trim4 5o

the bu and change beasts! and =lowering his voice? do the nowand then chore a gras4) =@?

/#E7F. $ )The do most of these things" the men fre'uent fairsand markets with horses! man of which the steal- and the women

tell fortunes and perform all kinds of tricks! b which the gain

more mone than their husbands.)

FIR#T %P#. $ )The would not be callees if the did not" I haveknown a %itana gain twent ounces of gold! b means of the hokkano

 baro! in a few hours! whilst the sill %ps! her husband! would betoiling with his shears for a fortnight! trimming the horses of the

,usne! and et not be a dollar richer at the end of the time.)

/#E7F. $ )ou seem wretchedl poor. Are ou married4)

FIR#T %P#. $ )I am! and to the best$looking and cleverest calleein ,ada(o<- nevertheless we have never thriven since the da of our

marriage! and a curse seems to rest upon us both. Perhaps I haveonl to thank mself- I was once rich! and had never less than si+

 borricos to sell or e+change! but the da before m marriage I soldall I possessed! in order to have a grand fiesta. For three das

we were merr enough- I entertained ever one who chose to come in!and flung awa m mone b handfuls! so that when the affair was

over I had not a cuarto in the world- and the ver people who had

feasted at m e+pense refused me a dollar to begin again! so wewere soon reduced to the greatest miser. True it is! that I now

and then shear a mule! and m wife tells the bahi =fortune? to the

servant$girls! but these things stand us in little stead" the

 people are now ver much on the alert! and m wife! with all herknowledge! has been unable to perform an grand trick which wouldset us up at once. #he wished to come to see ou! brother! this

night! but was ashamed! as she has no more clothes than mself.

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7ast summer our distress was so great that we crossed the frontierinto Portugal" m wife sung! and I plaed the guitar! for though I

have but one arm! and that a left one! I have never felt the wantof the other. At Estremo< I was cast into prison as a thief and

vagabond! and there I might have remained till I starved withhunger. / wife! however! soon got me out" she went to the lad

of the corregidor! to whom she told a most wonderful bahi!

 promising treasures and titles! and I wot not what- so I was set atlibert! and returned to #pain as 'uick as I could.)

/#E7F. $ )Is it not the custom of the %psies of #pain to relieveeach other in distress4 $ it is the rule in other countries.)

FIR#T %P#. $ )El krallis ha nicobado la liri de los Cales $ =The

king has destroed the law of the %psies?- we are no longer the people we were once! when we lived amongst the sierras and deserts!

and kept aloof from the ,usne- we have lived amongst the ,usne tillwe are become almost like them! and we are no longer united! read

to assist each other at all times and seasons! and ver fre'uentlthe %itano is the worst enem of his brother.)

/#E7F. $ )The %itanos! then! no longer wander about! but have

fi+ed residences in the towns and villages4)

FIR#T %P#. $ )In the summer time a few of us assemble together!and live about amongst the plains and hills! and b doing so we

fre'uentl contrive to pick up a horse or a mule for nothing! andsometimes we knock down a ,usne! and strip him! but it is seldom we

venture so far. *e are much looked after b the ,usne! who hold usin great dread! and abhor us. #ometimes! when wandering about! we

are attacked b the labourers! and then we defend ourselves as wellas we can. There is no better weapon in the hands of a %itano than

his Jcachas!J or shears! with which he trims the mules. I once

snipped off the nose of a ,usne! and opened the greater part of hischeek in an affra up the countr near Tru(illo.)

/#E7F. $ )1ave ou travelled much about #pain4)

FIR#T %P#. $ )8er little- I have never been out of this provinceof Estremadura! e+cept last ear! as I told ou! into Portugal.

*hen we wander we do not go far! and it is ver rare that we arevisited b our brethren of other parts. I have never been in

Andalusia! but I have heard sa that the %itanos are man inAndalusia! and are more wealth than those here! and that the

follow better the %ps law.)

/#E7F. $ )*hat do ou mean b the %ps law4)

FIR#T %P#. $ )*herefore do ou ask! brother4 ou know what ismeant b the law of the Cales better even than ourselves.)

/#E7F. $ )I know what it is in England and in 1ungar! but I can

onl give a guess as to what it is in #pain.)

,&T1 %P#IE#. $ )*hat do ou consider it to be in #pain4)

/#E7F. $ )Cheating and choring the ,usne on all occasions! and

 being true to the errate in life and in death.)

At these words both the %itanos sprang simultaneousl from theirseats! and e+claimed with a boisterous shout $ )Chachipe.)

This meeting with the %itanos was the occasion of m remaining at

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,ada(o< a much longer time than I originall intended. I wished to become better ac'uainted with their condition and manners! and

above all to speak to them of Christ and 1is *ord- for I wasconvinced! that should I travel to the end of the universe! I

should meet with no people more in need of a little Christiane+hortation! and I accordingl continued at ,ada(o< for nearl

three weeks.

5uring this time I was almost constantl amongst them! and as Ispoke their language! and was considered b them as one of

themselves! I had better opportunit of arriving at a fairconclusion respecting their character than an other person could

have had! whether #panish or foreigner! without such an advantage.

I found that their was and pursuits were in almost ever respect

similar to those of their brethren in other countries. , cheatingand swindling the gained their dail bread- the men principall b

the arts of the (ocke! $ b buing! selling! and e+changinganimals! at which the are wonderfull e+pert- and the women b

telling fortunes! selling goods smuggled from Portugal! and dealingin love$draughts and diablerie. The most innocent occupation which

I observed amongst them was trimming and shearing horses and mules!which in their language is called )monrabar!) and in #panish

)es'uilar)- and even whilst e+ercising this art! the notunfre'uentl have recourse to foul pla! doing the animal some

covert in(ur! in hope that the proprietor will dispose of it tothemselves at an inconsiderable price! in which event the soon

restore it to health- for knowing how to inflict the harm! theknow likewise how to remove it.

Religion the have none- the never attend mass! nor did I ever

hear them emplo the names of %od! Christ! and the 8irgin! but ine+ecration and blasphem. From what I could learn! it appeared

that their fathers had entertained some belief in metempschosis-

 but the themselves laughed at the idea! and were of opinion thatthe soul perished when the bod ceased to breathe- and the argument

which the used was rational enough! so far as it impugned

metempschosis" )*e have been wicked and miserable enough in thislife!) the said- )wh should we live again4)

I translated certain portions of #cripture into their dialect!

which I fre'uentl read to them- especiall the parable of 7a<arusand the Prodigal #on! and told them that the latter had been as

wicked as themselves! and both had suffered as much or more- butthat the sufferings of the former! who alwas looked forward to a

 blessed resurrection! were recompensed b admission! in the life tocome! to the societ of Abraham and the Prophets! and that the

latter! when he repented of his sins! was forgiven! and receivedinto as much favour as the (ust son.

The listened with admiration- but! alas: not of the truths! the

eternal truths! I was telling them! but to find that their broken (argon could be written and read. The onl words denoting anthing

like assent to m doctrine which I ever obtained! were thefollowing from the mouth of a woman" ),rother! ou tell us strange

things! though perhaps ou do not lie- a month since I would sooner

have believed these tales! than that this da I should see one whocould write Romman.)

Two or three das after m arrival! I was again visited b the

%ps of the withered arm! who I found was generall termed Paco!which is the diminutive of Francisco- he was accompanied b hiswife! a rather good$looking oung woman with sharp intelligent

features! and who appeared in ever respect to be what her husband

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had represented her on the former visit. #he was ver poorl clad!and notwithstanding the e+treme sharpness of the weather! carried

no mantle to protect herself from its inclemenc! $ her raven blackhair depended behind as far down as her hips. Another %ps came

with them! but not the old fellow whom I had before seen. This wasa man about fort$five! dressed in a <amarra of sheep$skin! with a

high$crowned Andalusian hat- his comple+ion was dark as pepper! and

his ees were full of sullen fire. In his appearance he e+hibiteda goodl compound of %ps and bandit.

PAC&. $ )7aches chibeses te dinele 3ndebel =/a %od grant ou gooddas! brother?. This is m wife! and this is m wife)s father.)

/#E7F. $ )I am glad to see them. *hat are their names4)

PAC&. $ )/aria and Antonio- their other name is 7ope<.)

/#E7F. $ )1ave the no %ps names4)

PAC&. $ )The have no other names than these.)

/#E7F. $ )Then in this respect the %itanos of #pain are unlike

those of m countr. Ever famil there has two names- one bwhich the are known to the ,usne! and another which the use

amongst themselves.)

A0T&0I&. $ )%ive me our hand! brother: I should have come to seeou before! but I have been to &liven<as in search of a horse.

*hat I have heard of ou has filled me with much desire to knowou! and I now see that ou can tell me man things which I am

ignorant of. I am 6incalo b the four sides $ I love our blood!and I hate that of the ,usne. 1ad I m will I would wash m face

ever da in the blood of the ,usne! for the ,usne are made onl to

 be robbed and to be slaughtered- but I love the Calore! and I loveto hear of things of the Calore! especiall from those of foreign

lands- for the Calore of foreign lands know more than we of #pain!

and more resemble our fathers of old.)

/#E7F. $ )1ave ou ever met before with Calore who were not#paniards4)

A0T&0I&. $ )I will tell ou! brother. I served as a soldier in the

war of the independence against the French. *ar! it is true! isnot the proper occupation of a %itano! but those were strange

times! and all those who could bear arms were compelled to go forthto fight" so I went with the English armies! and we chased the

%abine unto the frontier of France- and it happened once that we (oined in desperate battle! and there was a confusion! and the two

 parties became intermingled and fought sword to sword and baonetto baonet! and a French soldier singled me out! and we fought for

a long time! cutting! goring! and cursing each other! till at lastwe flung down our arms and grappled- long we wrestled! bod to

 bod! but I found that I was the weaker! and I fell. The Frenchsoldier)s knee was on m breast! and his grasp was on m throat!

and he sei<ed his baonet! and he raised it to thrust me through

the (aws- and his cap had fallen off! and I lifted up m eeswildl to his face! and our ees met! and I gave a loud shriek! and

cried 6incalo! 6incalo: and I felt him shudder! and he rela+ed his

grasp and started up! and he smote his forehead and wept! and then

he came to me and knelt down b m side! for I was almost dead! andhe took m hand and called me ,rother and 6incalo! and he producedhis flask and poured wine into m mouth! and I revived! and he

raised me up! and led me from the concourse! and we sat down on a

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knoll! and the two parties were fighting all around! and he said!J7et the dogs fight! and tear each others) throats till the are

all destroed! what matters it to the 6incali4 the are not of our blood! and shall that be shed for them4J #o we sat for hours on

the knoll and discoursed on matters pertaining to our people- and Icould have listened for ears! for he told me secrets which made m

ears tingle! and I soon found that I knew nothing! though I had

 before considered mself 'uite 6incalo- but as for him! he knew thewhole cuenta- the ,engui 7ango =B? himself could have told himnothing but what he knew. #o we sat till the sun went down and the

 battle was over! and he proposed that we should both flee to hisown countr and live there with the 6incali- but m heart failed

me- so we embraced! and he departed to the %abine! whilst I

returned to our own battalions.)

/#E7F. $ )5o ou know from what countr he came4)

A0T&0I&. $ )1e told me that he was a /aoro.)

/#E7F. $ )ou mean a /agar or 1ungarian.)

A0T&0I&. $ );ust so- and I have repented ever since that I did not

follow him.)

/#E7F. $ )*h so4)

A0T&0I&. $ )I will tell ou" the king has destroed the law of theCales! and has put disunion amongst us. There was a time when the

house of ever 6incalo! however rich! was open to his brother!though he came to him naked- and it was then the custom to boast of

the Jerrate.J It is no longer so now" those who are rich keepaloof from the rest! will not speak in Calo! and will have no

dealings but with the ,usne. Is there not a false brother in this

foros! the onl rich man among us! the swine! the balichow4 he ismarried to a ,usnee and he would fain appear as a ,usno: Tell me

one thing! has he been to see ou4 The white blood! I know he has

not- he was afraid to see ou! for he knew that b %ps law he was bound to take ou to his house and feast ou! whilst ou remained!

like a prince! like a crallis of the Cales! as I believe ou are!even though he sold the last gras from the stall. *ho have come to

see ou! brother4 1ave the not been such as Paco and his wife!wretches without a house! or! at best! one filled with cold and

 povert- so that ou have had to sta at a mesuna! at a posada ofthe ,usne- and! moreover! what have the Cales given ou since ou

have been residing here4 0othing! I trow! better than thisrubbish! which is all I can offer ou! this /eligrana de los

,engues.)

1ere he produced a pomegranate from the pocket of his <amarra! andflung it on the table with such force that the fruit burst! and the

red grains were scattered on the floor.

The %itanos of Estremadura call themselves in general Chai orChabos! and sa that their original countr was Chal or Egpt. I

fre'uentl asked them what reason the could assign for calling

themselves Egptians! and whether the could remember the names ofan places in their supposed fatherland- but I soon found that!

like their brethren in other parts of the world! the were unable

to give an rational account of themselves! and preserved no

recollection of the places where their forefathers had wandered-their language! however! to a considerable e+tent! solved theriddle! the bulk of which being 1indui! pointed out India as the

 birthplace of their race! whilst the number of Persian! #clavonian!

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and modern %reek words with which it is checkered! spoke plainl asto the countries through which these singular people had wandered

 before the arrived in #pain.

The said that the believed themselves to be Egptians! becausetheir fathers before them believed so! who must know much better

than themselves. The were fond of talking of Egpt and its former

greatness! though it was evident that the knew nothing farther ofthe countr and its histor than what the derived from spurious biblical legends current amongst the #paniards- onl from such

materials could the have composed the following account of themanner of their e+pulsion from their native land.

)There was a great king in Egpt! and his name was Pharaoh. 1e had

numerous armies! with which he made war on all countries! andcon'uered them all. And when he had con'uered the entire world! he

 became sad and sorrowful- for as he delighted in war! he no longerknew on what to emplo himself. At last he bethought him on making

war on %od- so he sent a defiance to %od! daring him to descendfrom the sk with his angels! and contend with Pharaoh and his

armies- but %od said! I will not measure m strength with that of aman. ,ut %od was incensed against Pharaoh! and resolved to punish

him- and he opened a hole in the side of an enormous mountain! andhe raised a raging wind! and drove before it Pharaoh and his armies

to that hole! and the abss received them! and the mountain closedupon them- but whosoever goes to that mountain on the night of #t.

;ohn can hear Pharaoh and his armies singing and elling therein.And it came to pass! that when Pharaoh and his armies had

disappeared! all the kings and the nations which had become sub(ectto Egpt revolted against Egpt! which! having lost her king and

her armies! was left utterl without defence- and the made waragainst her! and prevailed against her! and took her people and

drove them forth! dispersing them over all the world.)

#o that now! sa the Chai! )&ur horses drink the water of the

%uadiana) $ =Apilela gras Chai la panee 7ucalee?.

)T1E #TEE5# &F T1E E%PTIA0# 5RI09 T1E *ATER# &F T1E %3A5IA0A

)The region of Chal was our dear native soil!*here in fulness of pleasure we lived without toil-

Till dispersed through all lands! )twas our fortune to be $&ur steeds! %uadiana! must now drink of thee.

)&nce kings came from far to kneel down at our gate!

And princes re(oic)d on our meanest to wait-,ut now who so mean but would scorn our degree $

&ur steeds! %uadiana! must now drink of thee.

)For the 3ndebel saw! from his throne in the cloud!That our deeds the were foolish! our hearts the were proud-

And in anger he bade us his presence to flee $&ur steeds! %uadiana! must now drink of thee.

)&ur horses should drink of no river but one-It sparkles through Chal! )neath the smile of the sun!

,ut the taste of all streams save that onl! and see $

Apilela gras Chai la panee 7ucalee.)

C1APTER II

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I0 /adrid the %itanos chiefl reside in the neighbourhood of the

)mercado!) or the place where horses and other animals are sold! $in two narrow and dirt lanes! called the Calle de la Comadre and

the Calle(on de 7avapies. It is said that at the beginning of last

centur /adrid abounded with these people! who! b their lawless behaviour and dissolute lives! gave occasion to great scandal- ifsuch were the case! their numbers must have considerabl diminished

since that period! as it would be difficult at an time to collectfift throughout /adrid. These %itanos seem! for the most part! to

 be either 8alencians or of 8alencian origin! as the in general

either speak or understand the dialect of 8alencia- and whilst

speaking their own peculiar (argon! the Romman! are in the habitof making use of man 8alencian words and terms.

The manner of life of the %itanos of /adrid differs in no material

respect from that of their brethren in other places. The men!ever market$da! are to be seen on the skirts of the mercado!

generall with some miserable animal $ for e+ample! a founderedmule or galled borrico! b means of which the seldom fail to gain

a dollar or two! either b sale or e+change. It must not! however! be supposed that the content themselves with such paltr earnings.

Provided the have an valuable animal! which is not unfre'uentlthe case! the invariabl keep such at home snug in the stall!

conducting thither the chapman! should the find an! andconcluding the bargain with the greatest secrec. Their general

reason for this conduct is an unwillingness to e+hibit anthingcalculated to e+cite the (ealous of the chalans! or (ockes of

#panish blood! who on the slightest umbrage are in the habit ofe(ecting them from the fair b force of palos or cudgels! in which

violence the chalans are to a certain e+tent countenanced b law-

for though b the edict of Carlos the Third the %itanos were inother respects placed upon an e'ualit with the rest of the

#paniards! the were still forbidden to obtain their livelihood b

the traffic of markets and fairs.

The have occasionall however another e+cellent reason for note+posing the animal in the public mercado $ having obtained him b

dishonest means. The stealing! concealing! and receiving animalswhen stolen! are inveterate %ps habits! and are perhaps the last

from which the %itano will be reclaimed! or will onl cease whenthe race has become e+tinct. In the prisons of /adrid! either in

that of the #aladero or 5e la Corte! there are never less than ado<en %itanos immured for stolen horses or mules being found in

their possession! which themselves or their connections havespirited awa from the neighbouring villages! or sometimes from a

considerable distance. I sa spirited awa! for so well do thethieves take their measures! and watch their opportunit! that the

are seldom or never taken in the fact.

The /adrilenian %ps women are indefatigable in the pursuit of pre! prowling about the town and the suburbs from morning till

night! entering houses of all descriptions! from the highest to the

lowest- telling fortunes! or attempting to pla off various kindsof %ps tricks! from which the derive much greater profit! and of

which we shall presentl have occasion to make particular mention.

From /adrid let us proceed to Andalusia! casting a cursor glanceon the %itanos of that countr. I found them ver numerous at%ranada! which in the %itano language is termed /eligrana. Their

general condition in this place is trul miserable! far e+ceeding

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some of the propert contained in it. This belief was wellfounded. Earl one morning he was observed to enter it! and a band

of soldiers was instantl despatched to sei<e him. Thiscircumstance is alluded to in a %ps stan<a"$

)Fl! Pepe Conde! seek the hill-

To flee)s th onl chance-*ith baonets fi+ed! th blood to spill!#ee soldiers four advance.)

And before the soldiers could arrive at the cave! Pepe Conde had

discovered their approach and fled! endeavouring to make his escape

amongst the rocks and barrancos of the Alpu(arras. The soldiersinstantl pursued! and the chase continued a considerable time.

The fugitive was repeatedl summoned to surrender himself! butrefusing! the soldiers at last fired! and four balls entered the

heart of the %ps contrabandista and murderer.

&nce at /adrid I received a letter from the sister)s son ofPindamonas! dated from the prison of the #aladero. In this letter

the writer! who it appears was in durance for stealing a pair ofmules! craved m charitable assistance and advice- and possibl in

the hope of securing m favour! forwarded some uncouth linescommemorative of the death of his relation! and commencing thus"$

)The death of Pindamonas fill)d all the world with pain-At the coffee$house)s portal! b Pepe he was slain.)

The faubourg of Triana! in #eville! has from time immemorial been

noted as a favourite residence of the %itanos- and here! at the present da! the are to be found in greater number than in an

other town in #pain. This faubourg is indeed chiefl inhabited b

desperate characters! as! besides the %itanos! the principal partof the robber population of #eville is here congregated. Perhaps

there is no part even of 0aples where crime so much abounds! andthe law is so little respected! as at Triana! the character of

whose inmates was so graphicall delineated two centuries and ahalf back b Cervantes! in one of the most amusing of his tales.

=?

In the vilest lanes of this suburb! amidst dilapidated walls andruined convents! e+ists the grand colon of #panish %itanos. 1ere

the ma be seen wielding the hammer- here the ma be seentrimming the fetlocks of horses! or shearing the backs of mules and

 borricos with their cachas- and from hence the emerge to pl thesame trade in the town! or to officiate as terceros! or to bu!

sell! or e+change animals in the mercado! and the women to tell the bahi through the streets! even as in other parts of #pain!

generall attended b one or two tawn bantlings in their arms or b their sides- whilst others! with baskets and chafing$pans!

 proceed to the delightful banks of the 7en ,aro! =D? b the %olden

Tower! where! s'uatting on the ground and kindling their charcoal!the roast the chestnuts which! when well prepared! are the

favourite bonne bouche of the #evillians- whilst not a few! in

league with the contrabandistas! go from door to door offering for

sale prohibited goods brought from the English at %ibraltar. #uchis %itano life at #eville- such it is in the capital of Andalusia.

It is the common belief of the %itanos of other provinces that in

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Andalusia the language! customs! habits! and practices peculiar totheir race are best preserved. This opinion! which probabl

originated from the fact of their being found in greater numbers inthis province than in an other! ma hold good in some instances!

 but certainl not in all. In various parts of #pain I have foundthe %itanos retaining their primitive language and customs better

than in #eville! where the most abound" indeed! it is not plain

that their number has operated at all favourabl in this respect.At Cordova! a town at the distance of twent leagues from #eville!which scarcel contains a do<en %itano families! I found them

living in much more brotherl amit! and cherishing in a greaterdegree the observances of their forefathers.

I shall long remember these Cordovese %itanos! b whom I was ver

well received! but alwas on the supposition that I was one oftheir own race. The said that the never admitted strangers to

their houses save at their marriage festivals! when the flungtheir doors open to all! and save occasionall people of influence

and distinction! who wished to hear their songs and converse withtheir women- but the assured me! at the same time! that these the

invariabl deceived! and merel made use of as instruments to servetheir own purposes. As for mself! I was admitted without scruple

to their private meetings! and was made a participator of theirmost secret thoughts. 5uring our intercourse some remarkable

scenes occurred. &ne night more than twent of us! men and women!were assembled in a long low room on the ground floor! in a dark

alle or court in the old gloom town of Cordova. After the%itanos had discussed several (ocke plans! and settled some

 private bargains amongst themselves! we all gathered round a huge brasero of flaming charcoal! and began conversing #&,RE 7A# C&#A#

5E E%PT&! when I proposed that! as we had no better means ofamusing ourselves! we should endeavour to turn into the Calo

language some pieces of devotion! that we might see whether this

language! the gradual deca of which I had fre'uentl heard themlament! was capable of e+pressing an other matters than those

which related to horses! mules! and %ps traffic. It was in this

cautious manner that I first endeavoured to divert the attention ofthese singular people to matters of eternal importance. /

suggestion was received with acclamations! and we forthwith proceeded to the translation of the Apostles) creed. I first

recited in #panish! in the usual manner and without pausing! thisnoble confession! and then repeated it again! sentence b sentence!

the %itanos translating as I proceeded. The e+hibited thegreatest eagerness and interest in their unwonted occupation! and

fre'uentl broke into loud disputes as to the best rendering $ man being offered at the same time. In the meanwhile! I wrote down

from their dictation- and at the conclusion I read aloud thetranslation! the result of the united wisdom of the assembl!

whereupon the all raised a shout of e+ultation! and appeared not alittle proud of the composition.

The Cordovese %itanos are celebrated es'uiladors. Connected with

them and the e+ercise of the ARTE 5E E#3I7AR! in %ps monrabar! Ihave a curious anecdote to relate. In the first place! however! it

ma not be amiss to sa something about the art itself! of all

relating to which it is possible that the reader ma be 'uiteignorant.

 0othing is more deserving of remark in #panish grooming than the

care e+hibited in clipping and trimming various parts of the horse!where the growth of hair is considered as pre(udicial to the perfect health and cleanliness of the animal! particular attention

 being alwas paid to the pastern! that part of the foot which lies

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 between the fetlock and the hoof! to guard against the arestin $that cutaneous disorder which is the dread of the #panish groom! on

which account the services of a skilful es'uilador are continuallin re'uisition.

The es'uilador! when proceeding to the e+ercise of his vocation!

generall carries under his arm a small bo+ containing the

instruments necessar! and which consist principall of various pairs of scissors! and the ACIA7! two short sticks tied togetherwith whipcord at the end! b means of which the lower lip of the

horse! should he prove restive! is twisted! and the animal reducedto speed sub(ection. In the girdle of the es'uilador are stuck

the large scissors called in #panish TI;ERA#! and in the %ps

tongue CAC1A#! with which he principall works. 1e operates upon

the backs! ears! and tails of mules and borricos! which areinvariabl sheared 'uite bare! that if the animals are galled!

either b their harness or the loads which the carr! the woundsma be less liable to fester! and be more eas to cure. *hilst

engaged with horses! he confines himself to the feet and ears. Thees'uiladores in the two Castiles! and in those provinces where the

%itanos do not abound! are for the most part Aragonese- but in theothers! and especiall in Andalusia! the are of the %ps race.

The %itanos are in general ver e+pert in the use of the cachas!which the handle in a manner practised nowhere but in #pain- and

with this instrument the poorer class principall obtain their bread.

In one of their couplets allusion is made to this occupation in the

following manner"$

)I)ll rise to$morrow bread to earn!

For hunger)s worn me grim-

&f all I meet I)ll ask in turn!If the)ve no beasts to trim.)

#ometimes! whilst shearing the foot of a horse! e+ceedingl small

scissors are necessar for the purpose of removing fine solitarhairs- for a #panish groom will tell ou that a horse)s foot behind

ought to be kept as clean and smooth as the hand of a senora" suchscissors can onl be procured at /adrid. / sending two pair of

this kind to a Cordovese %ps! from whom I had e+perienced muchattention whilst in that cit! was the occasion of m receiving a

singular epistle from another whom I scarcel knew! and which Ishall insert as being an original %ps composition! and in some

 points not a little characteristic of the people of whom I am nowwriting.

)Cordova! @th da of ;anuar! >GB.)#E0&R 5&0 ;&R%E!

)After saluting ou and hoping that ou are well! I proceed to tell

ou that the two pair of scissors arrived at this town of Cordova

with him whom ou sent them b- but! unfortunatel! the were givento another %ps! whom ou neither knew nor spoke to nor saw in

our life- for it chanced that he who brought them was a friend of

mine! and he told me that he had brought two pair of scissors which

an Englishman had given him for the %psies- whereupon I!understanding it was ourself! instantl said to him! JThosescissors are for meJ- he told me! however! that he had alread

given them to another! and he is a %ps who was not even in

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Cordova during the time ou were. 0evertheless! 5on ;orge! I amver grateful for our thus remembering me! although I did not

receive our present! and in order that ou ma know who I am! mname is Antonio #ala<ar! a man pitted with the small$po+! and the

ver first who spoke to ou in Cordova in the posada where ouwere- and ou told me to come and see ou ne+t da at eleven! and I

went! and we conversed together alone. Therefore I should wish ou

to do me the favour to send me scissors for trimming beasts! $ goodscissors! mind ou! $ such would be a ver great favour! and Ishould be ever grateful! for here in Cordova there are none! or if

there be! the are good for nothing. #enor 5on ;orge! ou rememberI told ou that I was an es'uilador b trade! and onl b that I

got bread for m babes. #enor 5on ;orge! if ou do send me the

scissors for trimming! pra write and direct to the alle 5e la

7ondiga! 0o. @G! to Antonio #ala<ar! in Cordova. This is what Ihave to tell ou! and do ou ever command our trust servant! who

kisses our hand and is eager to serve ou.

)A0T&0I& #A7A6AR.)

FIR#T C&3P7ET

)That I ma clip and trim the beasts! a pair of cachas grant!If not! I fear m luckless babes will perish all of want.)

#EC&05 C&3P7ET

)If thou a pair of cachas grant! that I m babes ma feed!

I)ll pra to the Almight %od! that thee he ever speed.)

It is b no means m intention to describe the e+act state and

condition of the %itanos in ever town and province where the are

to be found- perhaps! indeed! it will be considered that I havealread been more circumstantial and particular than the case

re'uired. The other districts which the inhabit are principall

those of Catalonia! /urcia! and 8alencia- and the are likewise to be met with in the ,as'ue provinces! where the are called

Egipcioac! or Egptians. *hat I ne+t purpose to occup mself withare some general observations on the habits! and the phsical and

moral state of the %itanos throughout #pain! and of the positionwhich the hold in societ.

C1APTER III

A7REA5! from the two preceding chapters! it will have been

 perceived that the condition of the %itanos in #pain has beensub(ected of late to considerable modification. The words of the

%ps of ,ada(o< are indeed! in some respects! true- the are nolonger the people that the were- the roads and )despoblados) have

ceased to be infested b them! and the traveller is no longer

e+posed to much danger on their account- the at present confinethemselves! for the most part! to towns and villages! and if the

occasionall wander abroad! it is no longer in armed bands!

formidable for their numbers! and carring terror and devastation

in all directions! bivouacking near solitar villages! anddevouring the substance of the unfortunate inhabitants! oroccasionall threatening even large towns! as in the singular case

of 7ogrono! mentioned b Francisco de Cordova. As the reader will

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 probabl wish to know the cause of this change in the lives andhabits of these people! we shall! as briefl as possible! afford as

much information on the sub(ect as the amount of our knowledge will permit.

&ne fact has alwas struck us with particular force in the histor

of these people! namel! that %itanismo $ which means %ps

villain of ever description $ flourished and knew nothing ofdeca so long as the laws recommended and en(oined measures themost harsh and severe for the suppression of the %ps sect- the

 palm das of %itanismo were those in which the caste was proscribed! and its members! in the event of renouncing their %ps

habits! had nothing farther to e+pect than the occupation of

tilling the earth! a dull hopeless toil- then it was that the

%itanos paid tribute to the inferior ministers of (ustice! and wereengaged in illicit connection with those of higher station! and b

such means baffled the law! whose vengeance rarel fell upon theirheads- and then it was that the bid it open defiance! retiring to

the deserts and mountains! and living in wild independence brapine and shedding of blood- for as the law then stood the would

lose all b resigning their %itanismo! whereas b clinging to itthe lived either in the independence so dear to them! or beneath

the protection of their confederates. It would appear that in proportion as the law was harsh and severe! so was the %itano bold

and secure. The fiercest of these laws was the one of Philip theFifth! passed in the ear >D! which commands that the refractor

%itanos be hunted down with fire and sword- that it was 'uiteinefficient is satisfactoril proved b its being twice reiterated!

once in the ear )! and again in )H! which would scarcel have been deemed necessar had it 'uelled the %itanos. This law! with

some unimportant modifications! continued in force till the ear)GB! when the famous edict of Carlos Tercero superseded it. *ill

an feel disposed to doubt that the preceding laws had served to

foster what the were intended to suppress! when we state theremarkable fact! that since the enactment of that law! as humane as

the others were un(ust! *E 1A8E 1EAR5 0&T1I0% /&RE &F T1E %ITA0&#

FR&/ &FFICIA7 3ARTER#- T1E 1A8E CEA#E5 T& P7A A 5I#TI0CT PART I0T1E 1I#T&R &F #PAI0- A05 T1E 7A* 0& 7&0%ER #PEA9# &F T1E/ A# A

5I#TI0CT PE&P7E4 The caste of the %itano still e+ists! but it isneither so e+tensive nor so formidable as a centur ago! when the

law in denouncing %itanismo proposed to the %itanos thealternatives of death for persisting in their profession! or

slaver for abandoning it.

There are fierce and discontented spirits amongst them! who regretsuch times! and sa that %ps law is now no more! that the %ps

no longer assists his brother! and that union has ceased amongthem. If this be true! can better proof be adduced of the

 beneficial working of the later law4 A blessing has been conferredon societ! and in a manner highl creditable to the spirit of

modern times- reform has been accomplished! not b persecution! not b the gibbet and the rack! but b (ustice and tolerance. The

traveller has flung aside his cloak! not compelled b the angr buffeting of the north wind! but because the mild! benignant

weather makes such a defence no longer necessar. The law no

longer compels the %itanos to stand back to back! on the principalof mutual defence! and to cling to %itanismo to escape from

servitude and thraldom.

Taking everthing into consideration! and viewing the sub(ect inall its bearings with an impartial glance! we are compelled to cometo the conclusion that the law of Carlos Tercero! the provisions of

which were distinguished b (ustice and clemenc! has been the

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 principal if not the onl cause of the decline of %itanismo in#pain. #ome importance ought to be attached to the opinion of the

%itanos themselves on this point. )El Crallis ha nicobado la liride los Cales!) is a proverbial saing among them. , Crallis! or

9ing! the mean Carlos Tercero! so that the saing! the proverbialsaing! ma be thus translated" T1E 7A* &F CAR7&# TERCER& 1A#

#3PER#E5E5 %P# 7A*.

, the law the schools are open to them! and there is no art orscience which the ma not pursue! if the are willing. 1ave the

availed themselves of the rights which the law has conferred uponthem4

3p to the present period but little $ the still continue (ockes

and blacksmiths- but some of these %ps chalans! these bron<edsmiths! these wild$looking es'uiladors! can read or write in the

 proportion of one man in three or four- what more can be e+pected4*ould ou have the %ps bantling! born in filth and miser! )midst

mules and borricos! amidst the mud of a cho<a or the sand of a barranco! grasp with its swarth hands the craon and easel! the

compass! or the microscope! or the tube which renders more distinctthe heavenl orbs! and essa to become a /urillo! or a Fei(oo! or a

7oren<o de 1ervas! as soon as the legal disabilities are removedwhich doomed him to be a thievish (ocke or a sullen husbandman4

/uch will have been accomplished! if! after the lapse of a hundredears! one hundred human beings shall have been evolved from the

%ps stock! who shall prove sober! honest! and useful members ofsociet! $ that stock so degraded! so inveterate in wickedness and

evil customs! and so hardened b brutalising laws. #hould so man beings! should so man souls be rescued from temporal miser and

eternal woe- should onl the half of that number! should onl thetenth! na! should onl one poor wretched sheep be saved! there

will be (o in heaven! for much will have been accomplished on

earth! and those lines will have been in part falsified whichfilled the stout heart of /ahmoud with disma"$

)For the root that)s unclean! hope if ou can-

 0o washing e)er whitens the black 6igan"The tree that)s bitter b birth and race!

If in paradise garden to grow ou place!And water it free with nectar and wine!

From streams in paradise meads that shine!At the end its nature it still declares!

For bitter is all the fruit it bears.If the egg of the raven of no+ious breed

ou place )neath the paradise bird! and feedThe splendid fowl upon its nest!

*ith immortal figs! the food of the blest!And give it to drink from #ilisbel! =?

*hilst life in the egg breathes %abriel!A raven! a raven! the egg shall bear!

And the fostering bird shall waste its care.) $

FER5&3#I.

The principal evidence which the %itanos have hitherto given that a

 partial reformation has been effected in their habits! is the

relin'uishment! in a great degree! of that wandering life of whichthe ancient laws were continuall complaining! and which was thecause of infinite evils! and tended not a little to make the roads

insecure.

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5oubtless there are those who will find some difficult in

 believing that the mild and conciliator clauses of the law in'uestion could have much effect in weaning the %itanos from this

inveterate habit! and will be more disposed to think that thisrelin'uishment was effected b energetic measures resorted to b

the government! to compel them to remain in their places of

location. It does not appear! however! that such measures wereever resorted to. Energ! indeed! in the removal of a nuisance! isscarcel to be e+pected from #paniards under an circumstances.

All we can sa on the sub(ect! with certaint! is! that since therepeal of the trannical laws! wandering has considerabl decreased

among the %itanos.

#ince the law has ceased to brand them! the have come nearer tothe common standard of humanit! and their general condition has

 been ameliorated. At present! onl the ver poorest! the parias ofthe race! are to be found wandering about the heaths and mountains!

and this onl in the summer time! and their principal motive!according to their own confession! is to avoid the e+pense of house

rent- the rest remain at home! following their avocations! unlesssome immediate prospect of gain! lawful or unlawful! calls them

forth- and such is fre'uentl the case. The attend most fairs!women and men! and on the wa fre'uentl bivouac in the fields! but

this practice must not be confounded with sstematic wandering.

%itanismo! therefore! has not been e+tinguished! onl modified- butthat modification has been effected within the memor of man!

whilst previousl near four centuries elapsed! during which noreform had been produced amongst them b the various measures

devised! all of which were distinguished b an absence not onl oftrue polic! but of common$sense- it is therefore to be hoped! that

if the %itanos are abandoned to themselves! b which we mean no

arbitrar laws are again enacted for their e+tinction! the sectwill eventuall cease to be! and its members become confounded with

the residue of the population- for certainl no Christian nor

merel philanthropic heart can desire the continuance of an sector association of people whose fundamental principle seems to be to

hate all the rest of mankind! and to live b deceiving them- andsuch is the practice of the %itanos.

5uring the last five ears! owing to the civil wars! the ties which

unite societ have been considerabl rela+ed- the law has beentrampled under foot! and the greatest part of #pain overrun with

robbers and miscreants! who! under pretence of carring on partisanwarfare! and not unfre'uentl under no pretence at all! have

committed the most frightful e+cesses! plundering and murdering thedefenceless. #uch a state of things would have afforded the

%itanos a favourable opportunit to resume their former kind oflife! and to lev contributions as formerl! wandering about in

 bands. Certain it is! however! that the have not sought to repeattheir ancient e+cesses! taking advantage of the troubles of the

countr- the have gone on! with a few e+ceptions! 'uietl pursuingthat part of their sstem to which the still cling! their

 (ockeism! which! though based on fraud and robber! is far

 preferable to wandering brigandage! which necessaril involves thefre'uent shedding of blood. Can better proof be adduced! that

%itanismo owes its decline! in #pain! not to force! not to

 persecution! not to an want of opportunit of e+ercising it! but

to some other cause4 $ and we repeat that we consider the principalif not the onl cause of the decline of %itanismo to be theconferring on the %itanos the rights and privileges of other

sub(ects.

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fortunate brethren in povert or in prison! the are regarded withunbounded contempt and abhorrence! as in the case of the rich %ps

of ,ada(o<! and are not unfre'uentl doomed to destruction" suchcharacters are mentioned in their couplets"$

)The %ps fiend of /anga mead!

*ho never gave a straw!1e would destro! for ver greed!The good Egptian law.

)The false ;uanito da and night

1ad best with caution go-

The %ps carles of eira height

1ave sworn to la him low.)

1owever some of the %itanos ma complain that there is no longer

union to be found amongst them! there is still much of that fellow$feeling which springs from a consciousness of proceeding from one

common origin! or! as the love to term it! )blood.) At presenttheir sstem e+hibits less of a commonwealth than when the roamed

in bands amongst the wilds! and principall subsisted b foraging!each individual contributing to the common stock! according to his

success. The interests of individuals are now more distinct! andthat close connection is of course dissolved which e+isted when

the wandered about! and their dangers! gains! and losses were feltin common- and it can never be too often repeated that the are no

longer a proscribed race! with no rights nor safet save what thegained b a close and intimate union. 0evertheless! the %itano!

though he naturall prefers his own interest to that of his brother! and envies him his gain when he does not e+pect to share

in it! is at all times read to side with him against the ,usno!

 because the latter is not a %itano! but of a different blood! andfor no other reason. *hen one %itano confides his plans to

another! he is in no fear that the will be betraed to the ,usno!

for whom there is no smpath! and when a plan is to be e+ecutedwhich re'uires co$operation! the seek not the fellowship of the

,usne! but of each other! and if successful! share the gain like brothers.

As a proof of the fraternal feeling which is not unfre'uentl

displaed amongst the %itanos! I shall relate a circumstance whichoccurred at Cordova a ear or two before I first visited it. &ne

of the poorest of the %itanos murdered a #paniard with the fatal/anchegan knife- for this crime he was sei<ed! tried! and found

guilt. ,lood$shedding in #pain is not looked upon with muchabhorrence! and the life of the culprit is seldom taken! provided

he can offer a bribe sufficient to induce the notar public toreport favourabl upon his case- but in this instance mone was of

no avail- the murdered individual left behind him powerful friendsand connections! who were determined that (ustice should take its

course. It was in vain that the %itanos e+erted all theirinfluence with the authorities in behalf of their comrade! and such

influence was not slight- it was in vain that the offered

e+travagant sums that the punishment of death might be commuted to perpetual slaver in the drear presidio of Ceuta- I was credibl

informed that one of the richest %itanos! b name Fruto! offered

for his own share of the ransom the sum of five thousand crowns!

whilst there was not an individual but contributed according to hismeans $ nought availed! and the %ps was e+ecuted in the Pla<a.The da before the e+ecution! the %itanos! perceiving that the fate

of their brother was sealed! one and all 'uitted Cordova! shutting

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up their houses and carring with them their horses! their mules!their borricos! their wives and families! and the greatest part of

their household furniture. 0o one knew whither the directed theircourse! nor were the seen in Cordova for some months! when the

again suddenl made their appearance- a few! however! neverreturned. #o great was the horror of the %itanos at what had

occurred! that the were in the habit of saing that the place was

cursed for evermore- and when I knew them! there were man amongstthem who! on no account! would enter the Pla<a which had witnessedthe disgraceful end of their unfortunate brother.

The position which the %itanos hold in societ in #pain is the

lowest! as might be e+pected- the are considered at best as

thievish chalans! and the women as half sorceresses! and in ever

respect thieves- there is not a wretch! however vile! the outcastof the prison and the presidio! who calls himself #paniard! but

would feel insulted b being termed %itano! and would thank %odthat he is not- and et! strange to sa! there are numbers! and

those of the higher classes! who seek their compan! and endeavourto imitate their manners and wa of speaking. The connections

which the form with the #paniards are not man- occasionall somewealth %itano marries a #panish female! but to find a %itana

united to a #paniard is a thing of the rarest occurrence! if itever takes place. It is! of course! b intermarriage alone that

the two races will ever commingle! and before that event is broughtabout! much modification must take place amongst the %itanos! in

their manners! in their habits! in their affections! and theirdislikes! and! perhaps! even in their phsical peculiarities- much

must be forgotten on both sides! and everthing is forgotten in thecourse of time.

The number of the %itano population of #pain at the present da ma

 be estimated at about fort thousand. At the commencement of the

 present centur it was said to amount to si+t thousand. There can be no doubt that the sect is b no means so numerous as it was at

former periods- witness those barrios in various towns still

denominated %itanerias! but from whence the %itanos havedisappeared even like the /oors from the /orerias. *hether this

diminution in number has been the result of a partial change ofhabits! of pestilence or sickness! of war or famine! or of all

these causes combined! we have no means of determining! and shallabstain from offering con(ectures on the sub(ect.

C1APTER I8

I0 the autumn of the ear >GBH! I landed at Tarifa! from the coast

of ,arbar. I arrived in a small felouk laden with hides forCadi<! to which place I was mself going. *e stopped at Tarifa in

order to perform 'uarantine! which! however! turned out a merefarce! as we were all permitted to come on shore- the master of the

felouk having bribed the port captain with a few fowls. *e formed

a motle group. A rich /oor and his son! a child! with their;ewish servant usouf! and mself with m own man 1aim ,en Attar!

a ;ew. After passing through the gate! the /oors and their

domestics were conducted b the master to the house of one of his

ac'uaintance! where he intended the should lodge- whilst a sailorwas despatched with mself and 1aim to the onl inn which the place afforded. I stopped in the street to speak to a person whom

I had known at #eville. ,efore we had concluded our discourse!

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1aim! who had walked forward! returned! saing that the 'uarterswere good! and that we were in high luck! for that he knew the

 people of the inn were ;ews. );ews!) said I! )here in Tarifa! andkeeping an inn! I should be glad to see them.) #o I left m

ac'uaintance! and hastened to the house. *e first entered astable! of which the ground floor of the building consisted! and

ascending a flight of stairs entered a ver large room! and from

thence passed into a kitchen! in which were several people. &ne ofthese was a stout! athletic! burl fellow of about fift! dressedin a buff (erkin! and dark cloth pantaloons. 1is hair was black as

a coal and e+ceedingl bush! his face much marked from somedisorder! and his skin as dark as that of a toad. A ver tall

woman stood b the dresser! much resembling him in feature! with

the same hair and comple+ion! but with more intelligence in her

ees than the man! who looked heav and dogged. A dark woman! whomI subse'uentl discovered to be lame! sat in a corner! and two or

three swarth girls! from fifteen to eighteen ears of age! wereflitting about the room. I also observed a wicked$looking bo! who

might have been called handsome! had not one of his ees beenin(ured. );ews!) said I! in /oorish! to 1aim! as I glanced at

these people and about the room- )these are not ;ews! but childrenof the 5ar$bushi$fal.)

)7ist to the Corahai!) said the tall woman! in broken %ps slang!

)hear how the (abber =hunelad como chamulian?! trul we will makethem pa for the noise the raise in the house.) Then coming up to

me! she demanded with a shout! fearing otherwise that I should notunderstand! whether I would not wish to see the room where I was to

sleep. I nodded" whereupon she led me out upon a back terrace!and opening the door of a small room! of which there were three!

asked me if it would suit. )Perfectl!) said I! and returned withher to the kitchen.

)&! what a handsome face: what a roal person:) e+claimed the wholefamil as I returned! in #panish! but in the whining! canting tones

 peculiar to the %psies! when the are bent on victimising. )A

more ugl ,usno it has never been our chance to see!) said the samevoices in the ne+t breath! speaking in the (argon of the tribe.

)*on)t our /oorish Roalt please to eat something4) said the tallhag. )*e have nothing in the house- but I will run out and bu a

fowl! which I hope ma prove a roal peacock to nourish andstrengthen ou.) )I hope it ma turn to drow in our entrails!)

she muttered to the rest in %ps. #he then ran down! and in aminute returned with an old hen! which! on m arrival! I had

observed below in the stable. )#ee this beautiful fowl!) said she!)I have been running over all Tarifa to procure it for our

kingship- trouble enough I have had to obtain it! and dear enoughit has cost me. I will now cut its throat.) ),efore ou kill it!)

said I! )I should wish to know what ou paid for it! that there ma be no dispute about it in the account.) )Two dollars I paid for

it! most valorous and handsome sir- two dollars it cost me! out ofm own 'uisobi $ out of m own little purse.) I saw it was high

time to put an end to these <alamerias! and therefore e+claimed in%itano! )ou mean two bru(is =reals?! & mother of all the witches!

and that is twelve cuartos more than it is worth.) )A 5ios mio!

whom have we here4) e+claimed the females. )&ne!) I replied! )whoknows ou well and all our was. #peak: am I to have the hen for

two reals4 if not! I shall leave the house this moment.) )& es!

to be sure! brother! and for nothing if ou wish it!) said the tall

woman! in natural and 'uite altered tones- )but wh did ou enterthe house speaking in Corahai like a ,engui4 *e thought ou a,usno! but we now see that ou are of our religion- pra sit down

and tell us where ou have been.) . .

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/#E7F. $ )0ow! m good people! since I have answered our

'uestions! it is but right that ou should answer some of mine- pra who are ou4 and how happens it that ou are keeping this

inn4)

%P# 1A%. $ )8eril! brother! we can scarcel tell ou who we are.

All we know of ourselves is! that we keep this inn! to our troubleand sorrow! and that our parents kept it before us- we were all born in this house! where I suppose we shall die.)

/#E7F. $ )*ho is the master of the house! and whose are these

children4)

%P# 1A%. $ )The master of the house is the fool! m brother! whostands before ou without saing a word- to him belong these

children! and the cripple in the chair is his wife! and m cousin.1e has also two sons who are grown$up men- one is a chuma(arri

=shoemaker?! and the other serves a tanner.)

/#E7F. $ )Is it not contrar to the law of the Cales to followsuch trades4)

%P# 1A%. $ )*e know of no law! and little of the Cales

themselves. &urs is the onl Calo famil in Tarifa! and we neverleft it in our lives! e+cept occasionall to go on the smuggling

la to %ibraltar. True it is that the Cales! when the visitTarifa! put up at our house! sometimes to our cost. There was one

Rafael! son of the rich Fruto of Cordova! here last summer! to buup horses! and he departed a baria and a half in our debt- however!

I do not grudge it him! for he is a handsome and clever Chabo $ afellow of man capacities. There was more than one ,usno had cause

to rue his coming to Tarifa.)

/#E7F. $ )5o ou live on good terms with the ,usne of Tarifa4)

%P# 1A%. $ ),rother! we live on the best terms with the ,usne ofTarifa- especiall with the erras. The first people in Tarifa

come to this house! to have their ba(i told b the cripple in thechair and b mself. I know not how it is! but we are more

considered b the grandees than the poor! who hate and loathe us.*hen m first and onl infant died! for I have been married! the

child of one of the principal people was put to me to nurse! but Ihated it for its white blood! as ou ma well believe. It never

throve! for I did it a private mischief! and though it grew up andis now a outh! it is $ mad.)

/#E7F. $ )*ith whom will our brother)s children marr4 ou sa

there are no %psies here.)

%P# 1A%. $ )A de mi! hermano: It is that which grieves me. Iwould rather see them sold to the /oors than married to the ,usne.

*hen Rafael was here he wished to persuade the chuma(arri toaccompan him to Cordova! and promised to provide for him! and to

find him a wife among the Callees of that town- but the faint heart

would not! though I mself begged him to compl. As for thecurtidor =tanner?! he goes ever night to the house of a ,usnee-

and once! when I reproached him with it! he threatened to marr

her. I intend to take m knife! and to wait behind the door in the

dark! and when she comes out to gash her over the ees. I trow hewill have little desire to wed with her then.)

/#E7F. $ )5o man ,usne from the countr put up at this house4)

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 below! and subse'uentl strolled about the town and on the beach.It was about nine o)clock when I returned to the inn to retire to

rest- strange things had evidentl been going on during m absence.As I passed through the large room on m wa to m apartment! lo!

the table was set out with much wine! fruits! and viands. Theresat the man from the countr! three parts into+icated- the %ps!

alread provided with another pipe! sat on his knee! with his right

arm most affectionatel round his neck- on one side sat thechuma(arri drinking and smoking! on the other the tanner. ,ehold! poor humanit! thought I to mself! in the hands of devils- in this

manner are human souls ensnared to destruction b the fiends of the pit. The females had alread taken possession of the woman at the

other end of the table! embracing her! and displaing ever mark of

friendship and affection. I passed on! but ere I reached m

apartment I heard the words mule and donke. )Adios!) said I! forI but too well knew what was on the carpet.

In the back stable the %ps kept a mule! a most e+traordinar

animal! which was emploed in bringing water to the house! a taskwhich it effected with no slight difficult- it was reported to be

eighteen ears of age- one of its ees had been removed b someaccident! it was foundered! and also lame! the result of a broken

leg. This animal was the laughing$stock of all Tarifa- the %psgrudged it the ver straw on while alone he fed it! and had

repeatedl offered it for sale at a dollar! which he could neverobtain. 5uring the night there was much merriment going on! and I

could fre'uentl distinguish the voice of the %ps raised to a boisterous pitch. In the morning the %ps hag entered m

apartment! bearing the breakfast of mself and 1aim. )*hat wereou about last night4) said I.

)*e were bargaining with the ,usno! evil overtake him! and he has

e+changed us the ass! for the mule and the reckoning!) said the

hag! in whose countenance triumph was blended with an+iet.

)*as he drunk when he saw the mule4) I demanded.

)1e did not see her at all! & m son! but we told him we had a

 beautiful mule! worth an mone! which we were an+ious to disposeof! as a donke suited our purpose better. *e are afraid that when

he sees her he will repent his bargain! and if he calls off withinfour$and$twent hours! the e+change is null! and the (usticia will

cause us to restore the ass- we have! however! alread removed herto our huerta out of the town! where we have hid her below the

ground. 5ios sabe =%od knows? how it will turn out.)

*hen the man and woman saw the lame! foundered! one$eed creature!for which and the reckoning the had e+changed their own beautiful

 borrico! the stood confounded. It was about ten in the morning!and the had not altogether recovered from the fumes of the wine of

the preceding night- at last the man! with a frightful oath!e+claimed to the innkeeper! )Restore m donke! ou %ps villain:)

)It cannot be! brother!) replied the latter! )our donke is b

this time three leagues from here" I sold her this morning to a

man I do not know! and I am afraid I shall have a hard bargain withher! for he onl gave two dollars! as she was unsound. &! ou have

taken me in! I am a poor fool as the call me here! and ou

understand much! ver much! baribu.) =?

)1er value was thirt$five dollars! thou demon!) said thecountrman! )and the (usticia will make ou pa that.)

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)Come! come! brother!) said the %ps! )all this is mereconversation- ou have a capital bargain! to$da the mercado is

held! and ou shall sell the mule- I will go with ou mself. &!ou understand baribu- sister! bring the bottle of anise- the senor

and the senora must drink a copita.) After much persuasion! andman oaths! the man and woman were weak enough to compl- when the

had drunk several glasses! the departed for the market! the %ps

leading the mule. In about two hours the returned with thewretched beast! but not e+actl as the went- a numerous crowdfollowed! laughing and hooting. The man was now frantic! and the

woman et more so. The forced their wa upstairs to collect their baggage! which the soon effected! and were about to leave the

house! vowing revenge. 0ow ensued a trul terrific scene! there

were no more blandishments- the %ps men and women were in arms!

uttering the most frightful e+ecrations- as the woman camedownstairs! the females assailed her like lunatics- the cripple

 poked at her with a stick! the tall hag clawed at her hair! whilstthe father %ps walked close beside the man! his hand on his

clasp$knife! looking like nothing in this world" the man! however!on reaching the door! turned to him and said" )%ps demon! m

 borrico b three o)clock $ or ou know the rest! the (usticia.)

The %psies remained filled with rage and disappointment- the hagvented her spite on her brother. ))Tis our fault!) said she-

)fool: ou have no tongue- ou a Chabo! ou can)t speak)- whereas!within a few hours! he had perhaps talked more than an auctioneer

during a three das) sale" but he reserved his words for fittingoccasions! and now sat as usual! sullen and silent! smoking his

 pipe.

The man and woman made their appearance at three o)clock! but thecame $ into+icated- the %ps)s ees glistened $ blandishment was

again had recourse to. )Come and sit down with the cavalier here!)

whined the famil- )he is a friend of ours! and will soon arrangematters to our satisfaction.) I arose! and went into the street-

the hag followed me. )*ill ou not assist us! brother! or are ou

no Chabo4) she muttered.

)I will have nothing to do with our matters!) said I.

)I know who will!) said the hag! and hurried down the street.

The man and woman! with much noise! demanded their donke- theinnkeeper made no answer! and proceeded to fill up several glasses

with the A0I#A5&. In about a 'uarter of an hour! the %ps hagreturned with a oung man! well dressed! and with a genteel air!

 but with something wild and singular in his ees. 1e seatedhimself b the table! smiled! took a glass of li'uor! drank part of

it! smiled again! and handed it to the countrman. The latterseeing himself treated in this friendl manner b a caballero! was

evidentl much flattered! took off his hat to the newcomer! anddrank! as did the woman also. The glass was filled! and refilled!

till the became et more into+icated. I did not hear the oungman sa a word" he appeared a passive automaton. The %psies!

however! spoke for him! and were profuse of compliments. It was

now proposed that the caballero should settle the dispute- a longand nois conversation ensued! the oung man looking vacantl on"

the strange people had no mone! and had alread run up another

 bill at a wine$house to which the had retired. At last it was

 proposed! as if b the oung man! that the %ps should purchasehis own mule for two dollars! and forgive the strangers thereckoning of the preceding night. To this the agreed! being

apparentl stultified with the li'uor! and the mone being paid to

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#TRA0%ER. $ )I do: I am 6incalo! b the mother)s side. / father!it is true! was one of the ,usne- but I glor in being a Calo! and

care not to acknowledge other blood.)

/#E7F. $ )1ow became ou possessed of that book4)

#TRA0%ER. $ )I was this morning in the Prado! where I met two women

of our people! and amongst other things the told me that the hada gabicote in our language. I did not believe them at first! butthe pulled it out! and I found their words true. The then spoke

to me of ourself! and told me where ou live! so I took the bookfrom them and am come to see ou.)

/#E7F. $ )Are ou able to understand this book4)

#TRA0%ER. $ )Perfectl! though it is written in ver crabbed

language" =G? but I learnt to read Calo when ver oung. /mother was a good Calli! and earl taught me both to speak and read

it. #he too had a gabicote! but not printed like this! and ittreated of a different matter.)

/#E7F. $ )1ow came our mother! being a good Calli! to marr one

of a different blood4)

#TRA0%ER. $ )It was no fault of hers- there was no remed. In herinfanc she lost her parents! who were e+ecuted- and she was

abandoned b all! till m father! taking compassion on her! broughther up and educated her" at last he made her his wife! though

three times her age. #he! however! remembered her blood and hatedm father! and taught me to hate him likewise! and avoid him. *hen

a bo! I used to stroll about the plains! that I might not see mfather- and m father would follow me and beg me to look upon him!

and would ask me what I wanted- and I would repl! Father! the onl

thing I want is to see ou dead.)

/#E7F. $ )That was strange language from a child to its parent.)

#TRA0%ER. $ )It was $ but ou know the couplet! =H? which sas! JI

do not wish to be a lord $ I am b birth a %ps $ I do not wish to be a gentleman $ I am content with being a Calo:J)

/#E7F. $ )I am an+ious to hear more of our histor $ pra

 proceed.)

#TRA0%ER. $ )*hen I was about twelve ears old m father becamedistracted! and died. I then continued with m mother for some

ears- she loved me much! and procured a teacher to instruct me in7atin. At last she died! and then there was a pleto =law$suit?.

I took to the sierra and became a highwaman- but the wars brokeout. / cousin ;ara! of 8aldepenas! raised a troop of brigantes.

=D? I enlisted with him and distinguished mself ver much- thereis scarcel a man or woman in #pain but has heard of ;ara and

Chaleco. I am now captain in the service of 5onna Isabel $ I amcovered with wounds $ I am $ ugh: ugh: ugh $ :)

1e had commenced coughing! and in a manner which perfectlastounded me. I had heard hooping coughs! consumptive coughs!

coughs caused b colds! and other accidents! but a cough so

horrible and unnatural as that of the %ps soldier! I had never

witnessed in the course of m travels. In a moment he was bentdouble! his frame writhed and laboured! the veins of his foreheadwere frightfull swollen! and his comple+ion became black as the

 blackest blood- he screamed! he snorted! he barked! and appeared to

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 be on the point of suffocation $ et more e+plosive became thecough- and the people of the house! frightened! came running into

the apartment. I cries! )The man is perishing! run instantl for asurgeon:) 1e heard me! and with a 'uick movement raised his left

hand as if to countermand the order- another struggle! then onemight throe! which seemed to search his deepest intestines- and he

remained motionless! his head on his knee. The cough had left him!

and within a minute or two he again looked up.

)That is a dreadful cough! friend!) said I! when he was somewhat

recovered. )1ow did ou get it4)

%P# #&75IER. $ )I am $ shot through the lungs $ brother: 7et me

 but take breath! and I will show ou the hole $ the agu(ero.)

1e continued with me a considerable time! and showed not the

slightest disposition to depart- the cough returned twice! but notso violentl- $ at length! having an engagement! I arose! and

apologising! told him I must leave him. The ne+t da he came againat the same hour! but he found me not! as I was abroad dining with

a friend. &n the third da! however! as I was sitting down todinner! in he walked! unannounced. I am rather hospitable than

otherwise! so I cordiall welcomed him! and re'uested him to partake of m meal. )Con mucho gusto!) he replied! and instantl

took his place at the table. I was again astonished! for if hiscough was frightful! his appetite was et more so. 1e ate like a

wolf of the sierra- $ soup! puchero! fowl and bacon disappeared before him in a twinkling. I ordered in cold meat! which he

 presentl despatched- a large piece of cheese was then produced.*e had been drinking water.

)*here is the wine4) said he.

)I never use it!) I replied.

1e looked blank. The hostess! however! who was present waiting!

said! )If the gentleman wish for wine! I have a bota nearl full!which I will instantl fetch.)

The skin bottle! when full! might contain about four 'uarts. #he

filled him a ver large glass! and was removing the skin! but he prevented her! saing! )7eave it! m good woman- m brother here

will settle with ou for the little I shall use.)

1e now lighted his cigar! and it was evident that he had made goodhis 'uarters. &n the former occasion I thought his behaviour

sufficientl strange! but I liked it still less on the present.Ever fifteen minutes he emptied his glass! which contained at

least a pint- his conversation became horrible. 1e related theatrocities which he had committed when a robber and bragante in 7a

/ancha. )It was our custom!) said he! )to tie our prisoners to theolive$trees! and then! putting our horses to full speed! to tilt at

them with our spears.) As he continued to drink he became waspishand 'uarrelsome" he had hitherto talked Castilian! but he would

now onl converse in %ps and in 7atin! the last of which

languages he spoke with great fluenc! though ungrammaticall. 1etold me that he had killed si+ men in duels- and! drawing his

sword! fenced about the room. I saw b the manner in which he

handled it! that he was master of his weapon. 1is cough did not

return! and he said it seldom afflicted him when he dined well. 1egave me to understand that he had received no pa for two ears.)Therefore ou visit me!) thought I. At the end of three hours!

 perceiving that he e+hibited no signs of taking his departure! I

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arose! and said I must again leave him. )As ou please! brother!)said he- )use no ceremon with me! I am fatigued! and will wait a

little while.) I did not return till eleven at night! when mhostess informed me that he had (ust departed! promising to return

ne+t da. 1e had emptied the bota to the last drop! and the cheese produced being insufficient for him! he sent for an entire 5utch

cheese on m account- part of which he had eaten and the rest

carried awa. I now saw that I had formed a most troublesomeac'uaintance! of whom it was highl necessar to rid mself! if possible- I therefore dined out for the ne+t nine das.

For a week he came regularl at the usual hour! at the end of which

time he desisted- the hostess was afraid of him! as she said that

he was a bru(o or wi<ard! and onl spoke to him through the wicket.

&n the tenth da I was cast into prison! where I continued several

weeks. &nce! during m confinement! he called at the house! and being informed of m mishap! drew his sword! and vowed with

horrible imprecations to murder the prime minister of &falia! forhaving dared to imprison his brother. &n m release! I did not

revisit m lodgings for some das! but lived at an hotel. Ireturned late one afternoon! with m servant Francisco! a ,as'ue of

1ernani! who had served me with the utmost fidelit during mimprisonment! which he had voluntaril shared with me. The first

 person I saw on entering was the %ps soldier! seated b thetable! whereon were several bottles of wine which he had ordered

from the tavern! of course on m account. 1e was smoking! andlooked savage and sullen- perhaps he was not much pleased with the

reception he had e+perienced. 1e had forced himself in! and thewoman of the house sat in a corner looking upon him with dread. I

addressed him! but he would scarcel return an answer. At last hecommenced discoursing with great volubilit in %ps and 7atin. I

did not understand much of what he said. 1is words were wild and

incoherent! but he repeatedl threatened some person. The last bottle was now e+hausted" he demanded more. I told him in a

gentle manner that he had drunk enough. 1e looked on the ground

for some time! then slowl! and somewhat hesitatingl! drew hissword and laid it on the table. It was become dark. I was not

afraid of the fellow! but I wished to avoid anthing unpleasant. Icalled to Francisco to bring lights! and obeing a sign which I

made him! he sat down at the table. The %ps glared fiercel uponhim $ Francisco laughed! and began with great glee to talk in

,as'ue! of which the %ps understood not a word. The ,as'ues!like all Tartars! =D>? and such the are! are paragons of fidelit

and good nature- the are onl dangerous when outraged! when theare terrible indeed. Francisco! to the strength of a giant (oined

the disposition of a lamb. 1e was beloved even in the patio of the prison! where he used to pitch the bar and wrestle with the

murderers and felons! alwas coming off victor. 1e continuedspeaking ,as'ue. The %ps was incensed- and! forgetting the

languages in which! for the last hour! he had been speaking!complained to Francisco of his rudeness in speaking an tongue but

Castilian. The ,as'ue replied b a loud carca(ada! and slightltouched the %ps on the knee. The latter sprang up like a mine

discharged! sei<ed his sword! and! retreating a few steps! made a

desperate lunge at Francisco.

The ,as'ues! ne+t to the Pasiegos! =D@? are the best cudgel$plaers

in #pain! and in the world. Francisco held in his hand part of a

 broomstick! which he had broken in the stable! whence he had (ustascended. *ith the swiftness of lightning he foiled the stroke ofChaleco! and! in another moment! with a de+terous blow! struck the

sword out of his hand! sending it ringing against the wall.

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The %ps resumed his seat and his cigar. 1e occasionall looked

at the ,as'ue. 1is glances were at first atrocious! but presentlchanged their e+pression! and appeared to me to become pring and

eagerl curious. 1e at last arose! picked up his sword! sheathedit! and walked slowl to the door- when there he stopped! turned

round! advanced close to Francisco! and looked him steadfastl in

the face. )/ good fellow!) said he! )I am a %ps! and can read ba(i. 5o ou know where ou will be at this time to$morrow4) =DB?Then! laughing like a hena! he departed! and I never saw him

again.

At that time on the morrow! Francisco was on his death$bed. 1e had

caught the (ail fever! which had long raged in the Carcel de la

Corte! where I was imprisoned. In a few das he was buried! a massof corruption! in the Campo #anto of /adrid.

C1APTER 8

T1E %itanos! in their habits and manner of life! are much less

cleanl than the #paniards. The hovels in which the residee+hibit none of the neatness which is observable in the habitations

of even the poorest of the other race. The floors are unswept! andabound with filth and mud! and in their persons the are scarcel

less vile. Inattention to cleanliness is a characteristic of the%psies! in all parts of the world.

The ,ishop of Forli! as far back as >@@! gives evidence upon this

 point! and insinuates that the carried the plague with them- as he

observes that it raged with peculiar violence the ear of theirappearance at Forli. =D?

At the present da the are almost e'uall disgusting! in thisrespect! in 1ungar! England! and #pain. Amongst the richer

%itanos! habits of greater cleanliness of course e+ist than amongstthe poorer. An air of sluttishness! however! pervades their

dwellings! which! to an e+perienced ee! would sufficientl attestthat the inmates were %itanos! in the event of their absence.

*hat can be said of the %ps dress! of which such fre'uent mention

is made in the #panish laws! and which is prohibited together withthe %ps language and manner of life4 &f whatever it might

consist in former das! it is so little to be distinguished fromthe dress of some classes amongst the #paniards! that it is almost

impossible to describe the difference. The generall wear a high$ peaked! narrow$brimmed hat! a <amarra of sheep$skin in winter! and!

during summer! a (acket of brown cloth- and beneath this the arefond of e+hibiting a red plush waistcoat! something after the

fashion of the English (ockes! with numerous buttons and clasps.A fa(a! or girdle of crimson silk! surrounds the waist! where! not

unfre'uentl! are stuck the cachas which we have alread described.

Pantaloons of coarse cloth or leather descend to the knee- the legsare protected b woollen stockings! and sometimes b a species of

spatterdash! either of cloth or leather- stout high$lows complete

the e'uipment.

#uch is the dress of the %itanos of most parts of #pain. ,ut it isnecessar to remark that such also is the dress of the chalans! and

of the muleteers! e+cept that the latter are in the habit of

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wearing broad sombreros as preservatives from the sun. This dressappears to be rather Andalusian than %itano- and et it certainl

 beseems the %itano better than the chalan or muleteer. 1e wears itwith more eas negligence or (auntiness! b which he ma be

recognised at some distance! even from behind.

It is still more difficult to sa what is the peculiar dress of the

%itanas- the wear not the large red cloaks and immense bonnets ofcoarse beaver which distinguish their sisters of England- the haveno other headgear than a handkerchief! which is occasionall

resorted to as a defence against the severit of the weather- theirhair is sometimes confined b a comb! but more fre'uentl is

 permitted to stra dishevelled down their shoulders- the are fond

of large ear$rings! whether of gold! silver! or metal! resembling

in this respect the poissardes of France. There is little todistinguish them from the #panish women save the absence of the

mantilla! which the never carr. Females of fashion notunfre'uentl take pleasure in dressing a la %itana! as it is

called- but this female %ps fashion! like that of the men! ismore properl the fashion of Andalusia! the principal

characteristic of which is the saa! which is e+ceedingl short!with man rows of flounces.

True it is that the original dress of the %itanos! male and female!

whatever it was! ma have had some share in forming the Andalusianfashion! owing to the great number of these wanderers who found

their wa to that province at an earl period. The Andalusians area mi+ed breed of various nations! Romans! 8andals! /oors- perhaps

there is a slight sprinkling of %ps blood in their veins! and of%ps fashion in their garb.

The %itanos are! for the most part! of the middle si<e! and the

 proportions of their frames conve a powerful idea of strength and

activit united- a deformed or weakl ob(ect is rarel foundamongst them in persons of either se+- such probabl perish in

their infanc! unable to support the hardships and privations to

which the race is still sub(ected from its great povert! and thesesame privations have given and still give a coarseness and

harshness to their features! which are all strongl marked ande+pressive. Their comple+ion is b no means uniform! save that it

is invariabl darker than the general olive hue of the #paniards-not unfre'uentl countenances as dark as those of mulattos present

themselves! and in some few instances of almost negro blackness.7ike most people of savage ancestr! their teeth are white and

strong- their mouths are not badl formed! but it is in the eemore than in an other feature that the differ from other human

 beings.

There is something remarkable in the ee of the %itano" should hishair and comple+ion become fair as those of the #wede or the Finn!

and his (ocke gait as grave and ceremonious as that of the nativeof &ld Castile! were he dressed like a king! a priest! or a

warrior! still would the %itano be detected b his ee! should itcontinue unchanged. The ;ew is known b his ee! but then in the

;ew that feature is peculiarl small- the Chinese has a remarkable

ee! but then the ee of the Chinese is oblong! and even with theface! which is flat- but the ee of the %itano is neither large nor

small! and e+hibits no marked difference in its shape from the ees

of the common cast. Its peculiarit consists chiefl in a strange

staring e+pression! which to be understood must be seen! and in athin gla<e! which steals over it when in repose! and seems to emit phosphoric light. That the %ps ee has sometimes a peculiar

effect! we learn from the following stan<a"$

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)A %ps stripling)s gloss ee1as pierced m bosom)s core!

A feat no ee beneath the skCould e)er effect before.)

The following passages are e+tracted from a #panish work! =DD? andcannot be out of place here! as the relate to those matters to

which we have devoted this chapter.

)The %itanos have an olive comple+ion and ver marked phsiognom-

their cheeks are prominent! their lips thick! their ees vivid and

 black- their hair is long! black! and coarse! and their teeth verwhite. The general e+pression of their phsiognom is a compound

of pride! slavishness! and cunning. The are! for the most part!of good stature! well formed! and support with facilit fatigue and

ever kind of hardship. *hen the discuss an matter! or speakamong themselves! whether in Catalan! in Castilian! or in %ermania!

which is their own peculiar (argon! the alwas make use of muchgesticulation! which contributes to give to their conversation and

to the vivacit of their phsiognom a certain e+pression! stillmore penetrating and characteristic.

To this work we shall revert on a future occasion.

)*hen a %itano has occasion to speak of some business in which his

interest is involved! he redoubles his gestures in proportion as heknows the necessit of convincing those who hear him! and fears

their impassibilit. If an rancorous idea agitate him in thecourse of his narrative- if he endeavour to infuse into his

auditors sentiments of (ealous! vengeance! or an violent passion!

his features become e+aggerated! and the vivacit of his glances!and the contraction of his lips! show clearl! and in an imposing

manner! the foreign origin of the %itanos! and all the customs of

 barbarous people. Even his ver smile has an e+pression hard anddisagreeable. &ne might almost sa that (o in him is a forced

sentiment! and that! like unto the savage man! sadness is thedominant feature of his phsiognom.

)The %itana is distinguished b the same comple+ion! and almost the

same features. In her frame she is as well formed! and as fle+ibleas the %itano. Condemned to suffer the same privations and wants!

her countenance! when her interest does not oblige her to dissembleher feelings! presents the same aspect of melanchol! and shows

 besides! with more energ! the rancorous passions of which thefemale heart is susceptible. Free in her actions! her carriage!

and her pursuits! she speaks! vociferates! and makes more gesturesthan the %itano! and! in imitation of him! her arms are in

continual motion! to give more e+pression to the imager with whichshe accompanies her discourse- her whole bod contributes to her

gesture! and to increase its force- endeavouring b these means tosharpen the effect of language in itself insufficient- and her

vivid and disordered imagination is displaed in her appearance and

attitude.

)*hen she turns her hand to an species of labour! her hurried

action! the disorder of her hair! which is scarcel sub(ected b a

little comb! and her propensit to irritation! show how little sheloves toil! and her disgust for an continued occupation.

)In her disputes! the air of menace and high passion! the flow of

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words! and the facilit with which she provokes and despisesdanger! indicate manners half barbarous! and ignorance of other

means of defence. Finall! both in males and females! their phsical constitution! colour! agilit! and fle+ibilit! reveal to

us a caste sprung from a burning clime! and devoted to all thosee+ercises which contribute to evolve bodil vigour! and certain

mental faculties.

)The dress of the %itano varies with the countr which he inhabits.,oth in Rousillon and Catalonia his habiliments generall consist

of (acket! waistcoat! pantaloons! and a red fa(a! which covers partof his waistcoat- on his feet he wears hempen sandals! with much

ribbon tied round the leg as high as the calf- he has! moreover!

either woollen or cotton stockings- round his neck he wears a

handkerchief! carelessl tied- and in the winter he uses a blanketor mantle! with sleeves! cast over the shoulder- his head is

covered with the indispensable red cap! which appears to be thefavourite ornament of man nations in the vicinit of the

/editerranean and Caspian #ea.

)The neck and the elbows of the (acket are adorned with pieces of blue and ellow cloth embroidered with silk! as well as the seams

of the pantaloons- he wears! moreover! on the (acket or thewaistcoat! various rows of silver buttons! small and round!

sustained b rings or chains of the same metal. The old people!and those who b fortune! or some other cause! e+ercise! in

appearance! a kind of authorit over the rest! are almost alwasdressed in black or dark$blue velvet. #ome of those who affect

elegance amongst them keep for holidas a complete dress of sk$ blue velvet! with embroider at the neck! pocket$holes! arm$pits!

and in all the seams- in a word! with the e+ception of the turban!this was the fashion of dress of the ancient /oors of %ranada! the

onl difference being occasioned b time and miser.

)The dress of the %itanas is ver varied" the oung girls! or

those who are in tolerabl eas circumstances! generall wear a

 black bodice laced up with a string! and ad(usted to their figures!and contrasting with the scarlet$coloured saa! which onl covers a

 part of the leg- their shoes are cut ver low! and are adorned withlittle buckles of silver- the breast! and the upper part of the

 bodice! are covered either with a white handkerchief! or one ofsome vivid colour- and on the head is worn another handkerchief!

tied beneath the chin! one of the ends of which falls on theshoulder! in the manner of a hood. *hen the cold or the heat

 permit! the %itana removes the hood! without unting the knots! ande+hibits her long and shining tresses restrained b a comb. The

old women! and the ver poor! dress in the same manner! save thattheir habiliments are more coarse and the colours less in harmon.

Amongst them miser appears beneath the most revolting aspect-whilst the poorest %itano preserves a certain deportment which

would make his aspect supportable! if his un'uiet and ferociousglance did not inspire us with aversion.)

C1APTER 8I

*1I7#T their husbands are engaged in their (ocke vocation! or inwielding the cachas! the Callees! or %ps females! are seldomidle! but are endeavouring! b various means! to make all the gain

the can. The richest amongst them are generall contrabandistas!

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and in the large towns go from house to house with prohibitedgoods! especiall silk and cotton! and occasionall with tobacco.

The likewise purchase cast$off female wearing$apparel! which! whenvamped up and embellished! the sometimes contrive to sell as new!

with no inconsiderable profit.

%itanas of this description are of the most respectable class- the

rest! provided the do not sell roasted chestnuts! or esteras!which are a species of mat! seek a livelihood b different tricksand practices! more or less fraudulent- for e+ample $

7A ,A1I! or fortune$telling! which is called in #panish! ,3E0A

8E0T3RA. $ This wa of e+tracting mone from the credulit of dupes

is! of all those practised b the %psies! the readiest and most

eas- promises are the onl capital re'uisite! and the whole art offortune$telling consists in properl adapting these promises to the

age and condition of the parties who seek for information. The%itanas are clever enough in the accomplishment of this! and in

most cases afford perfect satisfaction. Their practice chiefllies amongst females! the portion of the human race most given to

curiosit and credulit. To the oung maidens the promise lovers!handsome invariabl! and sometimes rich- to wives children! and

 perhaps another husband- for their ees are so penetrating! thatoccasionall the will develop our most secret thoughts and

wishes- to the old! riches $ and nothing but riches- for the havesufficient knowledge of the human heart to be aware that avarice is

the last passion that becomes e+tinct within it. These riches areto proceed either from the discover of hidden treasures or from

across the water- from the Americas! to which the #paniards stilllook with hope! as there is no individual in #pain! however poor!

 but has some connection in those realms of silver and gold! atwhose death he considers it probable that he ma succeed to a

 brilliant )herencia.) The %itanas! in the e+ercise of this

 practice! find dupes almost as readil amongst the superiorclasses! as the veriest dregs of the population. It is their

 boast! that the best houses are open to them- and perhaps in the

space of one hour! the will spae the bahi to a duchess! orcountess! in one of the hundred palaces of /adrid! and to half a

do<en of the lavanderas engaged in purifing the linen of thecapital! beneath the willows which droop on the banks of the

murmuring /an<anares. &ne great advantage which the %psies possess over all other people is an utter absence of /A38AI#E

1&0TE- their speech is as fluent! and their ees as unabashed! inthe presence of roalt! as before those from whom the have

nothing to hope or fear- the result being! that most minds 'uail before them. There were two %itanas at /adrid! one Pepita b name!

and the other 7a Chicharona- the first was a spare! shrewd! witch$like female! about fift! and was the mother$in$law of 7a

Chicharona! who was remarkable for her stoutness. These womensubsisted entirel b fortune$telling and swindling. It chanced

that the son of Pepita! and husband of Chicharona! having spiritedawa a horse! was sent to the presidio of /alaga for ten ears of

hard labour. This misfortune caused ine+pressible affliction tohis wife and mother! who determined to make ever effort to procure

his liberation. The readiest wa which occurred to them was to

 procure an interview with the ueen Regent Christina! who thedoubted not would forthwith pardon the culprit! provided the had

an opportunit of assailing her with their %ps discourse- for! to

use their own words! )the well knew what to sa.) I at that time

lived close b the palace! in the street of #antiago! and dail!for the space of a month! saw them bending their steps in thatdirection.

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affirmative answer! she will re'uest to see all the gold and silverof an description which she ma chance to have in her possession.

The treasure is shown her- and when the %itana has carefullinspected and counted it! she produces a white handkerchief!

saing! 7ad! I give ou this handkerchief! which is blessed.Place in it our gold and silver! and tie it with three knots. I

am going for three das! during which period ou must keep the

 bundle beneath our pillow! permitting no one to go near it! andobserving the greatest secrec! otherwise the mone will take wingsand fl awa. Ever morning during the three das it will be well

to open the bundle! for our own satisfaction! to see that nomisfortune has befallen our treasure- be alwas careful! however!

to fasten it again with the three knots. &n m return! we will

 place the bundle! after having inspected it! in the chest! which

ou shall ourself lock! retaining the ke in our possession.,ut! thenceforward! for three weeks! ou must b no means unlock

the chest! nor look at the treasure $ if ou do it will fl awa.&nl follow m directions! and ou will gain much! ver much!

 baribu.

The %itana departs! and! during the three das! prepares a bundleas similar as possible to the one which contains the mone of her

dupe! save that instead of gold ounces! dollars! and plate! itscontents consist of copper mone and pewter articles of little or

no value. *ith this bundle concealed beneath her cloak! shereturns at the end of three das to her intended victim. The

 bundle of real treasure is produced and inspected! and again tiedup b the %itana! who then re'uests the other to open the chest!

which done! she formall places A ,3057E in it- but! in themeanwhile! she has contrived to substitute the fictitious for the

real one. The chest is then locked! the lad retaining the ke.The %itana promises to return at the end of three weeks! to open

the chest! assuring the lad that if it be not unlocked until that

 period! it will be found filled with gold and silver- butthreatening that in the event of her in(unctions being disregarded!

the mone deposited will vanish. #he then walks off with great

deliberation! bearing awa the spoil. It is needless to sa thatshe never returns.

There are other was of accomplishing the hokkano baro. The most

simple! and indeed the one most generall used b the %itanas! isto persuade some simple individual to hide a sum of mone in the

earth! which the afterwards carr awa. A case of thisdescription occurred within m own knowledge! at /adrid! towards

the latter part of the ear >GB. There was a notorious %itana! ofthe name of Aurora- she was about fort ears of age! a 8alencian

 b birth! and immensel fat. This amiable personage! b somemeans! formed the ac'uaintance of a wealth widow lad- and was not

slow in attempting to practise the hokkano baro upon her. #hesucceeded but too well. The widow! at the instigation of Aurora!

 buried one hundred ounces of gold beneath a ruined arch in a field!at a short distance from the wall of /adrid. The inhumation was

effected at night b the widow alone. Aurora was! however! on thewatch! and! in less than ten minutes after the widow had departed!

 possessed herself of the treasure- perhaps the largest one ever

ac'uired b this kind of deceit. The ne+t da the widow hadcertain misgivings! and! returning to the spot! found her mone

gone. About si+ months after this event! I was imprisoned in the

Carcel de la Corte! at /adrid! and there I found Aurora! who was in

durance for defrauding the widow. #he said that it had been herintention to depart for 8alencia with the )barias!) as she stledher plunder! but the widow had discovered the trick too soon! and

she had been arrested. #he added! however! that she had contrived

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to conceal the greatest part of the propert! and that she e+pectedher liberation in a few das! having been prodigal of bribes to the

)(usticia.) In effect! her liberation took place sooner than mown. 0evertheless! she had little cause to triumph! as before she

left the prison she had been fleeced of the last cuarto of her ill$gotten gain! b algua<ils and escribanos! who! she admitted!

understood hokkano baro much better than herself.

*hen I ne+t saw Aurora! she informed me that she was once more one+cellent terms with the widow! whom she had persuaded that the

loss of the mone was caused b her own imprudence! in looking forit before the appointed time- the spirit of the earth having

removed it in anger. #he added that her dupe was 'uite disposed to

make another venture! b which she hoped to retrieve her former

loss.

3#TI7AR PA#TE#A#. $ 3nder this head ma be placed various kinds oftheft committed b the %itanos. The meaning of the words is

stealing with the hands- but the are more generall applied to thefilching of mone b de+terit of hand! when giving or receiving

change. For e+ample" a %itana will enter a shop! and purchasesome insignificant article! tendering in pament a baria or golden

ounce. The change being put down before her on the counter! shecounts the mone! and complains that she has received a dollar and

several pesetas less than her due. It seems impossible that therecan be an fraud on her part! as she has not even taken the pieces

in her hand! but merel placed her fingers upon them- pushing themon one side. #he now asks the merchant what he means b attempting

to deceive the poor woman. The merchant! supposing that he hasmade a mistake! takes up the mone! counts it! and finds in effect

that the (ust sum is not there. 1e again hands out the change! butthere is now a greater deficienc than before! and the merchant is

convinced that he is dealing with a witch. The %itana now pushes

the mone to him! uplifts her voice! and talks of the (usticia.#hould the merchant become frightened! and! empting a bag of

dollars! tell her to pa herself! as has sometimes been the case!

she will have a fine opportunit to e+ercise her powers! and whilsttaking the change will contrive to conve secretl into her sleeves

five or si+ dollars at least- after which she will depart with muchvociferation! declaring that she will never again enter the shop of

so cheating a picaro.

&f all the %itanas at /adrid! Aurora the fat was! b their ownconfession! the most de+terous at this species of robber- she

having been known in man instances! whilst receiving change for anounce! to steal the whole value! which amounts to si+teen dollars.

It was not without reason that merchants in ancient times were!according to /artin 5el Rio! advised to sell nothing out of their

shops to %itanas! as the possessed an infallible secret forattracting to their own purses from the coffers of the former the

mone with which the paid for the articles the purchased. Thissecret consisted in stealing a pastesas! which the still practise.

/an accounts of witchcraft and sorcer! which are stled oldwomen)s tales! are perhaps e'uall well founded. Real actions have

 been attributed to wrong causes.

#hoplifting! and other kinds of private larcen! are connected with

stealing a pastesas! for in all de+terit of hand is re'uired.

/an of the %itanas of /adrid are provided with large pockets! or

rather sacks! beneath their gowns! in which the stow awa their plunder. #ome of these pockets are capacious enough to hold! atone time! a do<en ards of cloth! a 5utch cheese and a bottle of

wine. 0othing that she can eat! drink! or sell! comes amiss to a

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veritable %itana- and sometimes the contents of her pocket wouldafford materials for an inventor far more length and curious than

the one enumerating the effects found on the person of the man$mountain at 7illiput.

C1I8I0% 5RA&. $ In former times the #panish %psies of both se+es

were in the habit of casting a venomous preparation into the

mangers of the cattle for the purpose of causing sickness. At present this practice has ceased! or nearl so- the %itanos!however! talk of it as universal amongst their ancestors. The

were in the habit of visiting the stalls and stables secretl! and poisoning the provender of the animals! who almost immediatel

 became sick. After a few das the %itanos would go to the

labourers and offer to cure the sick cattle for a certain sum! and

if their proposal was accepted would in effect perform the cure.

Connected with the cure was a curious piece of double dealing.The privatel administered an efficacious remed! but pretended to

cure the animals not b medicines but b charms! which consisted ofsmall variegated beans! called in their language bobis! =D?

dropped into the mangers. , this means the fostered the idea!alread prevalent! that the were people possessed of supernatural

gifts and powers! who could remove diseases without having recourseto medicine. , means of drao! the likewise procured themselves

food- poisoning swine! as their brethren in England still do! =D?and then feasting on the flesh! which was abandoned as worthless"

witness one of their own songs"$

), %ps drow the Porker died!

I saw him stiff at evening tide!,ut I saw him not when morning shone!

For the %psies ate him flesh and bone.)

, drao also the could avenge themselves on their enemies b

destroing their cattle! without incurring a shadow of suspicion.Revenge for in(uries! real or imaginar! is sweet to all

unconverted minds- to no one more than the %ps! who! in all partsof the world! is! perhaps! the most revengeful of human beings.

8idoc' in his memoirs states! that having formed a connection with

an individual whom he subse'uentl discovered to be the captain ofa band of *alachian %psies! the latter! whose name was Caroun!

wished 8idoc' to assist in scattering certain powders in themangers of the peasants) cattle- 8idoc'! from prudential motives!

refused the emploment. There can be no doubt that these powderswere! in substance! the drao of the #panish %itanos.

7A ,AR 7AC1I! &R T1E 7&A5#T&0E. $ If the %itanos in general be

addicted to an one superstition! it is certainl with respect tothis stone! to which the attribute all kinds of miraculous powers.

There can be no doubt! that the singular propert which it possesses of attracting steel! b filling their untutored minds

with ama<ement! first gave rise to this veneration! which is

carried beond all reasonable bounds.

The believe that he who is in possession of it has nothing to fear

from steel or lead! from fire or water! and that death itself has

no power over him. The %ps contrabandistas are particularlan+ious to procure this stone! which the carr upon their personsin their e+peditions- the sa! that in the event of being pursued

 b the (aracanallis! or revenue officers! whirlwinds of dust will

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arise! and conceal them from the view of their enemies- the horse$stealers sa much the same thing! and assert that the are

uniforml successful! when the bear about them the precious stone.,ut it is said to be able to effect much more. E+traordinar

things are related of its power in e+citing the amorous passions!and! on this account! it is in great re'uest amongst the %ps

hags- all these women are procuresses! and find persons of both

se+es weak and wicked enough to make use of their pretendedknowledge in the composition of love$draughts and decoctions.

In the case of the loadstone! however! there is no pretence! the%itanas believing all the sa respecting it! and still more- this

is proved b the eagerness with which the seek to obtain the stone

in its natural state! which is somewhat difficult to accomplish.

In the museum of natural curiosities at /adrid there is a large

 piece of loadstone originall e+tracted from the American mines.There is scarcel a %itana in /adrid who is not ac'uainted with

this circumstance! and who does not long to obtain the stone! or a part of it- its being placed in a roal museum serving to augment!

in their opinion! its real value. #everal attempts have been madeto steal it! all of which! however! have been unsuccessful. The

%psies seem not to be the onl people who env roalt the possession of this stone. Pepita! the old %itana of whose talent

at telling fortunes such honourable mention has alread been made!informed me that a priest! who was mu enamorado =in love?!

 proposed to her to steal the loadstone! offering her all hissacerdotal garments in the event of success" whether the singular

reward that was promised had but slight temptations for her! orwhether she feared that her de+terit was not e'ual to the

accomplishment of the task! we know not! but she appears to havedeclined attempting it. According to the %ps account! the person

in love! if he wish to e+cite a corresponding passion in another

'uarter b means of the loadstone! must swallow! I0 A%3AR5IE0TE! asmall portion of the stone pulverised! at the time of going to

rest! repeating to himself the following magic rhme"$

)To the /ountain of &lives one morning I hied!Three little black goats before me I spied!

Those three little goats on three cars I laid!,lack cheeses three from their milk I made-

The one I bestow on the loadstone of power!That save me it ma from all ills that lower-

The second to /ar Padilla I give!And to all the witch hags about her that live-

The third I reserve for Asmodeus lame!That fetch me he ma whatever I name.)

7A RAI6 5E7 ,3E0 ,AR&0! &R T1E R&&T &F T1E %&&5 ,AR&0. $ &n thissub(ect we cannot be ver e+plicit. It is customar with the

%itanas to sell! under this title! various roots and herbs! tounfortunate females who are desirous of producing a certain result-

these roots are boiled in white wine! and the abominable decoction

is taken fasting. I was once shown the root of the good baron!which! in this instance! appeared to be parsle root. , the good

 baron is meant his #atanic ma(est! on whom the root is ver

appropriatel fathered.

C1APTER 8II

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IT is impossible to dismiss the sub(ect of the #panish %psies

without offering some remarks on their marriage festivals. Thereis nothing which the retain connected with their primitive rites

and principles! more characteristic perhaps of the sect of the

Romman! of the sect of the 13#,A05# A05 *I8E#! than what relatesto the marriage ceremon! which gives the female a protector! andthe man a helpmate! a sharer of his (os and sorrows. The %psies

are almost entirel ignorant of the grand points of moralit- thehave never had sufficient sense to perceive that to lie! to steal!

and to shed human blood violentl! are crimes which are sure!

eventuall! to ield bitter fruits to those who perpetrate them-

 but on one point! and that one of no little importance as far astemporal happiness is concerned! the are in general wiser than

those who have had far better opportunities than such unfortunateoutcasts! of regulating their steps! and distinguishing good from

evil. The know that chastit is a (ewel of high price! and thatcon(ugal fidelit is capable of occasionall flinging a sunshine

even over the drear hours of a life passed in the contempt ofalmost all laws! whether human or divine.

There is a word in the %ps language to which those who speak it

attach ideas of peculiar reverence! far superior to that connectedwith the name of the #upreme ,eing! the creator of themselves and

the universe. This word is 7AC1A! which with them is the corporealchastit of the females- we sa corporeal chastit! for no other do

the hold in the slightest esteem- it is lawful amongst them! na praiseworth! to be obscene in look! gesture! and discourse! to be

accessories to vice! and to stand b and laugh at the worstabominations of the ,usne! provided their 7AC1A E TR3P&#! or

corporeal chastit! remains unblemished. The %ps child! from her

earliest ears! is told b her strange mother! that a good Callineed onl dread one thing in this world! and that is the loss of

7acha! in comparison with which that of life is of little

conse'uence! as in such an event she will be provided for! but what provision is there for a %ps who has lost her 7acha4 ),ear this

in mind! m child!) she will sa! )and now eat this bread! and goforth and see what ou can steal.)

A %ps girl is generall betrothed at the age of fourteen to the

outh whom her parents deem a suitable match! and who is generalla few ears older than herself. /arriage is invariabl preceded b

 betrothment- and the couple must then wait two ears before theirunion can take place! according to the law of the Cales. 5uring

this period it is e+pected that the treat each other as commonac'uaintance- the are permitted to converse! and even occasionall

to e+change slight presents. &ne thing! however! is strictlforbidden! and if in this instance the prove contumacious! the

 betrothment is instantl broken and the pair are never united! andthenceforward bear an evil reputation amongst their sect. This one

thing is! going into the campo in each other)s compan! or havingan rende<vous beond the gate of the cit! town! or village! in

which the dwell. 3pon this point we can perhaps do no better than

'uote one of their own stan<as"$

)Th sire and mother wrath and hate

1ave vowed against us! love:The first! first night that from the gate*e two together rove.)

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*ith all the other %psies! however! and with the ,usne or

%entiles! the betrothed female is allowed the freest intercourse!going whither she will! and returning at all times and seasons.

*ith respect to the ,usne! indeed! the parents are invariabl lesscautious than with their own race! as the conceive it ne+t to an

impossibilit that their child should lose her 7acha b an

intercourse with T1E *1ITE ,7&&5- and true it is that e+periencehas proved that their confidence in this respect is not altogetheridle. The %itanas have in general a decided aversion to the white

men- some few instances! however! to the contrar are said to haveoccurred.

A short time previous to the e+piration of the term of the

 betrothment! preparations are made for the %ps bridal. Thewedding$da is certainl an eventful period in the life of ever

individual! as he takes a partner for better or for worse! whom heis bound to cherish through riches and povert- but to the %ps

 particularl the wedding festival is an important affair. If he isrich! he fre'uentl becomes poor before it is terminated- and if he

is poor! he loses the little which he possesses! and must borrow ofhis brethren- fre'uentl involving himself throughout life! to

 procure the means of giving a festival- for without a festival! hecould not become a Rom! that is! a husband! and would cease to

 belong to this sect of Romman.

There is a great deal of what is wild and barbarous attached tothese festivals. I shall never forget a particular one at which I

was present. After much feasting! drinking! and elling! in the%ps house! the bridal train sallied forth $ a frantic spectacle.

First of all marched a villainous (ocke$looking fellow! holding inhis hands! uplifted! a long pole! at the top of which fluttered in

the morning air a snow$white cambric handkerchief! emblem of the

 bride)s purit. Then came the betrothed pair! followed b theirnearest friends- then a rabble rout of %psies! screaming and

shouting! and discharging guns and pistols! till all around rang

with the din! and the village dogs barked. &n arriving at thechurch gate! the fellow who bore the pole stuck it into the ground

with a loud hu<<a! and the train! forming two ranks! defiled intothe church on either side of the pole and its strange ornaments.

&n the conclusion of the ceremon! the returned in the same mannerin which the had come.

Throughout the da there was nothing going on but singing!

drinking! feasting! and dancing- but the most singular part of thefestival was reserved for the dark night. 0earl a ton weight of

sweetmeats had been prepared! at an enormous e+pense! not for thegratification of the palate! but for a purpose purel %ps. These

sweetmeats of all kinds! and of all forms! but principall emas!or olks of eggs prepared with a crust of sugar =a delicious bonne$

 bouche?! were strewn on the floor of a large room! at least to thedepth of three inches. Into this room! at a given signal! tripped

the bride and bridegroom 5A0CI0% R&/A7I#! followed amain b all the%itanos and %itanas! 5A0CI0% R&/A7I#. To conve a slight idea of

the scene is almost beond the power of words. In a few minutes

the sweetmeats were reduced to a powder! or rather to a mud! thedancers were soiled to the knees with sugar! fruits! and olks of

eggs. #till more terrific became the lunatic merriment. The men

sprang high into the air! neighed! braed! and crowed- whilst the

%itanas snapped their fingers in their own fashion! louder thancastanets! distorting their forms into all kinds of obsceneattitudes! and uttering words to repeat which were an abomination.

In a corner of the apartment capered the while #ebastianillo! a

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convict %ps from /elilla! strumming the guitar most furiousl!and producing demoniacal sounds which had some resemblance to

/albrun =/albrouk?! and! as he strummed! repeating at intervals the%ps modification of the song"$

)Chala /albrun chinguerar!

,irandon! birandon! birandera $Chala /albrun chinguerar! 0o se bus trutera $

 0o se bus trutera. 0o se bus trutera.

7a romi 'ue le camela!

,irandon! birandon!) etc.

The festival endures three das! at the end of which the greatest part of the propert of the bridegroom! even if he were previousl

in eas circumstances! has been wasted in this strange kind of riotand dissipation. Paco! the %ps of ,ada(o<! attributed his ruin

to the e+travagance of his marriage festival- and man other%itanos have confessed the same thing of themselves. The said

that throughout the three das the appeared to be under theinfluence of infatuation! having no other wish or thought but to

make awa with their substance- some have gone so far as to castmone b handfuls into the street. Throughout the three das all

the doors are kept open! and all corners! whether %psies or ,usne!welcomed with a hospitalit which knows no bounds.

In nothing do the ;ews and %itanos more resemble each other than in

their marriages! and what is connected therewith. In both sectsthere is a betrothment" amongst the ;ews for seven! amongst the

%itanos for a period of two ears. In both there is a wedding

festival! which endures amongst the ;ews for fifteen and amongstthe %itanos for three das! during which! on both sides! much that

is singular and barbarous occurs! which! however! has perhaps its

origin in anti'uit the most remote. ,ut the wedding ceremonies ofthe ;ews are far more comple+ and allegorical than those of the

%psies! a more simple people. The 0a<arene ga<es on theseceremonies with mute astonishment- the washing of the bride $ the

 painting of the face of herself and her companions with chalk andcarmine $ her ensconcing herself within the curtains of the bed

with her female bev! whilst the bridegroom hides himself withinhis apartment with the ouths his companions $ her envelopment in

the white sheet! in which she appears like a corse! the bridegroom)s going to sup with her! when he places himself in the

middle of the apartment with his ees shut! and without tasting amorsel. 1is going to the snagogue! and then repairing to

 breakfast with the bride! where he practises the same self$denial $the washing of the bridegroom)s plate and sending it after him!

that he ma break his fast $ the binding his hands behind him $ hisransom paid b the bride)s mother $ the visit of the sages to the

 bridegroom $ the mulct imposed in case he repent $ the killing ofthe bullock at the house of the bridegroom $ the present of meat

and fowls! meal and spices! to the bride $ the gold and silver $

that most imposing part of the ceremon! the walking of the bride b torchlight to the house of her betrothed! her ees fi+ed in

vacanc! whilst the ouths of her kindred sing their wild songs

around her $ the cup of milk and the spoon presented to her b the

 bridegroom)s mother $ the arrival of the sages in the morn $ thereading of the 9etuba $ the night $ the half$en(oment $ the oldwoman $ the tantalising knock at the door $ and then the festival

of fishes which concludes all! and leaves the (aded and wearied

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couple to repose after a fortnight of persecution.

The ;ews! like the %psies! not unfre'uentl ruin themselves b theriot and waste of their marriage festivals. Throughout the entire

fortnight! the houses! both of bride and bridegroom! are flung opento all corners- $ feasting and song occup the da $ feasting and

song occup the hours of the night! and this continued revel is

onl broken b the ceremonies of which we have endeavoured toconve a faint idea. In these festivals the sages or 37E//A take adistinguished part! doing their utmost to ruin the contracted

 parties! b the wonderful despatch which the make of the fowls andviands! sweetmeats! A05 #TR&0% *ATER# provided for the occasion.

After marriage the %ps females generall continue faithful to

their husbands through life- giving evidence that the e+hortationsof their mothers in earl life have not been without effect. &f

course licentious females are to be found both amongst the matronsand the unmarried- but such instances are rare! and must be

considered in the light of e+ceptions to a principle. The %pswomen =I am speaking of those of #pain?! as far as corporeal

chastit goes! are ver paragons- but in other respects! alas: $little can be said in praise of their moralit.

C1APTER 8III

*1I7#T in #pain I devoted as much time as I could spare from m

grand ob(ect! which was to circulate the %ospel through that benighted countr! to attempt to enlighten the minds of the %itanos

on the sub(ect of religion. I cannot sa that I e+perienced much

success in m endeavours- indeed! I never e+pected much! beingfull ac'uainted with the ston nature of the ground on which I was

emploed- perhaps some of the seed that I scattered ma eventuall

spring up and ield e+cellent fruit. &f one thing I am certain"if I did the %itanos no good! I did them no harm.

It has been said that there is a secret monitor! or conscience!

within ever heart! which immediatel upbraids the individual onthe commission of a crime- this ma be true! but certainl the

monitor within the %itano breast is a ver feeble one! for littleattention is ever paid to its reproofs. *ith regard to conscience!

 be it permitted to observe! that it varies much according toclimate! countr! and religion- perhaps nowhere is it so terrible

and strong as in England- I need not sa wh. Amongst the English!I have seen man individuals stricken low! and broken$hearted! b

the force of conscience- but never amongst the #paniards orItalians- and I never et could observe that the crimes which the

%itanos were dail and hourl committing occasioned them theslightest uneasiness.

&ne important discover I made among them" it was! that no

individual! however wicked and hardened! is utterl %&57E##. Call

it superstition! if ou will! still a certain fear and reverence ofsomething sacred and supreme would hang about them. I have heard

%itanos stiffl den the e+istence of a 5eit! and e+press the

utmost contempt for everthing hol- et the subse'uentl never

failed to contradict themselves! b permitting some e+pression toescape which belied their assertions! and of this I shall presentlgive a remarkable instance.

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I found the women much more disposed to listen to anthing I had tosa than the men! who were in general so taken up with their

traffic that the could think and talk of nothing else- the women!too! had more curiosit and more intelligence- the conversational

 powers of some of them I found to be ver great! and et the weredestitute of the slightest rudiments of education! and were thieves

 b profession. At /adrid I had regular conversa<iones! or! as the

are called in #panish! tertulias! with these women! who generallvisited me twice a week- the were perfectl unreserved towards mewith respect to their actions and practices! though their

 behaviour! when present! was invariabl strictl proper. I havealread had cause to mention Pepa the sibl! and her daughter$in$

law! Chicharona- the manners of the first were sometimes almost

elegant! though! ne+t to Aurora! she was the most notorious she$

thug in /adrid- Chicharona was good$humoured! like most fat personages. Pepa had likewise two daughters! one of whom! a ver

remarkable female! was called 7a Tuerta! from the circumstance ofher having but one ee! and the other! who was a girl of about

thirteen! 7a Casdami! or the scorpion! from the malice which sheoccasionall displaed.

Pepa and Chicharona were invariabl m most constant visitors. &ne

da in winter the arrived as usual- the &ne$eed and the #corpionfollowing behind.

/#E7F. $ )I am glad to see ou! Pepa" what have ou been doing

this morning4)

PEPA. $ )I have been telling ba(i! and Chicharona has been stealinga pastesas- we have had but little success! and have come to warm

ourselves at the brasero. As for the &ne$eed! she is a versluggard =holga<ana?! she will neither tell fortunes nor steal.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ )1old our peace! mother of the ,engues- I willsteal! when I see occasion! but it shall not be a pastesas! and I

will hokkawar =deceive?! but it shall not be b telling fortunes.

If I deceive! it shall be b horses! b (ockeing. =DG? If Isteal! it shall be on the road $ I)ll rob. ou know alread what I

am capable of! et knowing that! ou would have me tell fortuneslike ourself! or steal like Chicharona. /e dinela conche =it

fills me with fur? to be asked to tell fortunes! and the ne+t,usnee that talks to me of ba(is! I will knock all her teeth out.)

T1E #C&RPI&0. $ )/ sister is right- I! too! would sooner be a

salteadora =highwawoman?! or a chalana =she$(ocke?! than stealwith the hands! or tell ba(is.)

/#E7F. $ )ou do not mean to sa! & Tuerta! that ou are a (ocke!

and that ou rob on the highwa.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ )I am a chalana! brother! and man a time I haverobbed upon the road! as all our people know. I dress mself as a

man! and go forth with some of them. I have robbed alone! in the pass of the %uadarama! with m horse and escopeta. I alone once

robbed a cuadrilla of twent %allegos! who were returning to their

own countr! after cutting the harvests of Castile- I stripped themof their earnings! and could have stripped them of their ver

clothes had I wished! for the were down on their knees like

cowards. I love a brave man! be he ,usne or %ps. *hen I was not

much older than the #corpion! I went with several others to rob thecorti(o of an old man- it was more than twent leagues from here.*e broke in at midnight! and bound the old man" we knew he had

mone- but he said no! and would not tell us where it was- so we

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tortured him! pricking him with our knives and burning his handsover the lamp- all! however! would not do. At last I said! J7et us

tr the PI/IE0T&#J- so we took the green pepper husks! pulled openhis eelids! and rubbed the pupils with the green pepper fruit.

That was the worst pinch of all. *ould ou believe it4 the old man bore it. Then our people said! J7et us kill him!J but I said! no!

it were a pit" so we spared him! though we got nothing. I have

loved that old man ever since for his firm heart! and should havewished him for a husband.)

T1E #C&RPI&0. $ )&(ala! that I had been in that corti(o! to seesuch sport:)

/#E7F. $ )5o ou fear %od! & Tuerta4)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ ),rother! I fear nothing.)

/#E7F. $ )5o ou believe in %od! & Tuerta4)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ ),rother! I do not- I hate all connected with that

name- the whole is foll- me dinela conche. If I go to church! itis but to spit at the images. I spat at the bulto of /aria this

morning- and I love the Coro(ai! and the 7ondone! =DH? because theare not bapti<ed.)

/#E7F. $ )ou! of course! never sa a praer.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ )0o! no- there are three or four old words! taught

me b some old people! which I sometimes sa to mself- I believethe have both force and virtue.)

/#E7F. $ )I would fain hear- pra tell me them.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ ),rother! the are words not to be repeated.)

/#E7F. $ )*h not4)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ )The are hol words! brother.)

/#E7F. $ )1ol: ou sa there is no %od- if there be none! there

can be nothing hol- pra tell me the words! & Tuerta.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ ),rother! I dare not.)

/#E7F. $ )Then ou do fear something.)

T1E &0E$EE5.$ )0ot I $

)#A,&CA E0RECAR /ARIA ERERIA! =?

and now I wish I had not said them.)

/#E7F. $ )ou are distracted! & Tuerta" the words sa simpl!)5well within us! blessed /aria.) ou have spitten on her bulto

this morning in the church! and now ou are afraid to repeat four

words! amongst which is her name.)

T1E &0E$EE5. $ )I did not understand them- but I wish I had not

said them.)

. . . . . . .

I repeat that there is no individual! however hardened! who is

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utterl %&57E##.

The reader will have alread gathered from the conversationsreported in this volume! and especiall from the last! that there

is a wide difference between addressing #panish %itanos and %itanasand English peasantr" of a certaint what will do well for the

latter is calculated to make no impression on these thievish half$

wild people. Tr them with the %ospel! I hear some one cr! whichspeaks to all" I did tr them with the %ospel! and in their ownlanguage. I commenced with Pepa and Chicharona. 5etermined that

the should understand it! I proposed that the themselves shouldtranslate it. The could neither read nor write! which! however!

did not dis'ualif them from being translators. I had mself

 previousl translated the whole Testament into the #panish Romman!

 but I was desirous to circulate amongst the %itanos a versionconceived in the e+act language in which the e+press their ideas.

The women made no ob(ection! the were fond of our tertulias! andthe likewise reckoned on one small glass of /alaga wine! with

which I invariabl presented them. 3pon the whole! the conductedthemselves much better than could have been e+pected. *e commenced

with #aint 7uke" the rendering into Romman the sentences which Idelivered to them in #panish. The proceeded as far as the eighth

chapter! in the middle of which the broke down. *as that to bewondered at4 The onl thing which astonished me was! that I had

induced two such strange beings to advance so far in a task sounwonted! and so entirel at variance with their habits! as

translation.

These chapters I fre'uentl read over to them! e+plaining thesub(ect in the best manner I was able. The said it was lacho! and

 (ucal! and misto! all of which words e+press approval of the'ualit of a thing. *ere the improved! were their hearts softened

 b these #cripture lectures4 I know not. Pepa committed a rather

daring theft shortl afterwards! which compelled her to concealherself for a fortnight- it is 'uite possible! however! that she

ma remember the contents of those chapters on her death$bed- if

so! will the attempt have been a futile one4

I completed the translation! suppling deficiencies from m ownversion begun at ,ada(o< in >GB. This translation I printed at

/adrid in >GBG- it was the first book which ever appeared inRomman! and was called )Embeo e /a(aro 7ucas!) or %ospel of 7uke

the #aint. I likewise published! simultaneousl! the same %ospelin ,as'ue! which! however! I had no opportunit of circulating.

The %itanos of /adrid purchased the %ps 7uke freel" man of the

men understood it! and pri<ed it highl! induced of course more bthe language than the doctrine- the women were particularl an+ious

to obtain copies! though unable to read- but each wished to haveone in her pocket! especiall when engaged in thieving e+peditions!

for the all looked upon it in the light of a charm! which would preserve them from all danger and mischance- some even went so far

as to sa! that in this respect it was e'uall efficacious as the,ar 7achi! or loadstone! which the are in general so desirous of

 possessing. &f this %ospel =>? five hundred copies were printed!

of which the greater number I contrived to circulate amongst the%psies in various parts- I cast the book upon the waters and left

it to its destin.

I have counted seventeen %itanas assembled at one time in mapartment in the Calle de #antiago in /adrid- for the first 'uarterof an hour we generall discoursed upon indifferent matters! I then

 b degrees drew their attention to religion and the state of souls.

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I finall became so bold that I ventured to speak against theirinveterate practices! thieving and ling! telling fortunes! and

stealing a pastesas- this was touching upon delicate ground! and Ie+perienced much opposition and much feminine clamour. I

 persevered! however! and the finall assented to all I said! notthat I believe that m words made much impression upon their

hearts. In a few months matters were so far advanced that the

would sing a hmn- I wrote one e+pressl for them in Romman! inwhich their own wild couplets were! to a certain e+tent! imitated.

The people of the street in which I lived! seeing such numbers ofthese strange females continuall passing in and out! were struck

with astonishment! and demanded the reason. The answers which the

obtained b no means satisfied them. )6eal for the conversion of

souls! $ the souls too of %itanas! $ disparate: the fellow is ascoundrel. ,esides he is an Englishman! and is not bapti<ed- what

cares he for souls4 The visit him for other purposes. 1e makes base ounces! which the carr awa and circulate. /adrid is

alread stocked with false mone.) &thers were of opinion that wemet for the purposes of sorcer and abomination. The #paniard has

no conception that other springs of action e+ist than interest orvillain.

/ little congregation! if such I ma call it! consisted entirel

of women- the men seldom or never visited me! save the stood inneed of something which the hoped to obtain from me. This

circumstance I little regretted! their manners and conversation being the reverse of interesting. It must not! however! be

supposed that! even with the women! matters went on invariabl in asmooth and satisfactor manner. The following little anecdote will

show what slight dependence can be placed upon them! and howdisposed the are at all times to take part in what is grotes'ue

and malicious. &ne da the arrived! attended b a %ps (ocke

whom I had never previousl seen. *e had scarcel been seated aminute! when this fellow! rising! took me to the window! and

without an preamble or circumlocution! said $ )5on ;orge! ou

shall lend me two barias) =ounces of gold?. )0ot to our wholerace! m e+cellent friend!) said I- )are ou frantic4 #it down and

 be discreet.) 1e obeed me literall! sat down! and when the restdeparted! followed with them. *e did not invariabl meet at m own

house! but occasionall at one in a street inhabited b %psies.&n the appointed da I went to this house! where I found the women

assembled- the (ocke was also present. &n seeing me he advanced!again took me aside! and again said $ )5on ;orge! ou shall lend me

two barias.) I made him no answer! but at once entered on thesub(ect which brought me thither. I spoke for some time in

#panish- I chose for the theme of m discourse the situation of the1ebrews in Egpt! and pointed out its similarit to that of the

%itanos in #pain. I spoke of the power of %od! manifested in preserving both as separate and distinct people amongst the nations

until the present da. I warmed with m sub(ect. I subse'uentl produced a manuscript book! from which I read a portion of

#cripture! and the 7ord)s Praer and Apostles) Creed! in Romman.*hen I had concluded I looked around me.

The features of the assembl were twisted! and the ees of allturned upon me with a frightful s'uint- not an individual present

 but s'uinted! $ the genteel Pepa! the good$humoured Chicharona! the

Casdami! etc. etc. The %ps fellow! the contriver of the (est!

s'uinted worst of all. #uch are %psies.

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T1E 6I0CA7I PART III

C1APTER I

T1ERE is no nation in the world! however e+alted or however

degraded! but is in possession of some peculiar poetr. If theChinese! the 1indoos! the %reeks! and the Persians! those splendid

and renowned races! have their moral las! their mthological

epics! their tragedies! and their immortal love songs! so also have

the wild and barbarous tribes of #oudan! and the wanderingEs'uimau+! their ditties! which! however insignificant in

comparison with the compositions of the former nations! still areentitled in ever essential point to the name of poetr- if poetr

mean metrical compositions intended to soothe and recreate the mindfatigued b the cares! distresses! and an+ieties to which mortalit

is sub(ect.

The %psies too have their poetr. &f that of the Russian 6iganiwe have alread said something. It has alwas been our opinion!

and we believe that in this we are b no means singular! that innothing can the character of a people be read with greater

certaint and e+actness than in its songs. 1ow trul do thewarlike ballads of the 0orthmen and the 5anes! their 5RAPA# and

9&E/PE$8I#ER! depict the character of the %oth- and how e'uall dothe songs of the Arabians! replete with homage to the one high!

uncreated! and eternal %od! )the fountain of blessing!) )the onlcon'ueror!) la bare to us the mind of the /oslem of the desert!

whose grand characteristic is religious veneration! and

uncompromising <eal for the glor of the Creator.

And well and trul do the coplas and gachaplas of the %itanos

depict the character of the race. This poetr! for poetr we willcall it! is in most respects such as might be e+pected to originate

among people of their class- a set of Thugs! subsisting b cheatingand villain of ever description- hating the rest of the human

species! and bound to each other b the bonds of common origin!language! and pursuits. The general themes of this poetr are the

various incidents of %itano life and the feelings of the %itanos.A %ps sees a pig running down a hill! and imagines that it cries

)3stilame Caloro:) =@? $ a %ps reclining sick on the prisonfloor beseeches his wife to intercede with the alcade for the

removal of the chain! the weight of which is bursting his bod $the moon arises! and two %psies! who are about to steal a steed!

 perceive a #paniard! and instantl flee $ ;uanito Ralli! whilstgoing home on his steed! is stabbed b a %ps who hates him $

Facundo! a %ps! runs awa at the sight of the burl priest of8illa Franca! who hates all %psies. #ometimes a burst of wild

temper gives occasion to a strain $ the swarth lover threatens tosla his betrothed! even AT T1E FEET &F ;E#3#! should she prove

unfaithful. It is a general opinion amongst the %itanos that

#panish women are ver fond of Romman chals and Romman. There isa stan<a in which a %itano hopes to bear awa a beaut of #panish

race b means of a word of Romman whispered in her ear at the

window.

Amongst these effusions are even to be found tender and beautifulthoughts- for Thugs and %itanos have their moments of gentleness.

True it is that such are few and far between! as a flower or a

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shrub is here and there seen springing up from the interstices ofthe rugged and frightful rocks of which the #panish sierras are

composed" a wicked mother is afraid to pra to the 7ord with herown lips! and calls on her innocent babe to beseech him to restore

 peace and comfort to her heart $ an imprisoned outh appears tohave no earthl friend on whom he can rel! save his sister! and

wishes for a messenger to carr unto her the tale of his

sufferings! confident that she would hasten at once to hisassistance. And what can be more touching than the speech of therelenting lover to the fair one whom he has outraged4

)E+tend to me the hand so small!

*herein I see thee weep!

For & th balm tear$drops allI would collect and keep.)

This %ps poetr consists of 'uartets! or rather couplets! but tworhmes being discernible! and those generall imperfect! the vowels

alone agreeing in sound. &ccasionall! however! si+ains! orstan<as of si+ lines! are to be found! but this is of rare

occurrence. The thought! anecdote or adventure described! isseldom carried beond one stan<a! in which everthing is e+pressed

which the poet wishes to impart. This feature will appear singularto those who are unac'uainted with the character of the popular

 poetr of the south! and are accustomed to the redundanc andfre'uentl tedious repetition of a more polished muse. It will be

well to inform such that the greater part of the poetr sung in thesouth! and especiall in #pain! is e+temporar. The musician

composes it at the stretch of his voice! whilst his fingers aretugging at the guitar- which stle of composition is b no means

favourable to a long and connected series of thought. &f course!

the greater part of this species of poetr perishes as soon as born. A stan<a! however! is sometimes caught up b the bstanders!

and committed to memor- and being fre'uentl repeated! makes! in

time! the circuit of the countr. For e+ample! the stan<a aboutCoruncho 7ope<! which was originall made at the gate of a venta b

a /i'uelet! =B? who was conducting the said 7ope< to the gallesfor a robber. It is at present sung through the whole of the

 peninsula! however insignificant it ma sound to foreign ears"$

)Coruncho 7ope<! gallant lad!

A smuggling he would ride-1e stole his father)s ambling prad!

And therefore to the galles sadCoruncho now I guide.)

The couplets of the %itanos are composed in the same off$handmanner! and e+actl resemble in metre the popular ditties of the

#paniards. In spirit! however! as well as language! the are ingeneral widel different! as the mostl relate to the %psies and

their affairs! and not unfre'uentl abound with abuse of the ,usne

or #paniards. /an of these creations have! like the stan<a ofCoruncho 7ope<! been wafted over #pain amongst the %ps tribes!

and are even fre'uentl repeated b the #paniards themselves- at

least! b those who affect to imitate the phraseolog of the

%itanos. Those which appear in the present collection consist partl of such couplets! and partl of such as we have ourselvestaken down! as soon as the originated! not unfre'uentl in the

midst of a circle of these singular people! dancing and singing to

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their wild music. In no instance have the been sub(ected tomodification- and the English translation is! in general! ver

faithful to the original! as will easil be perceived b referringto the le+icon. To those who ma feel disposed to find fault with

or criticise these songs! we have to observe! that the present workhas been written with no other view than to depict the %itanos such

as the are! and to illustrate their character- and! on that

account! we have endeavoured! as much as possible! to bring them before the reader! and to make them speak for themselves. The area half$civilised! unlettered people! proverbial for a species of

knavish acuteness! which serves them in lieu of wisdom. To placein the mouth of such beings the high$flown sentiments of modern

 poetr would not answer our purpose! though several authors have

not shrunk from such an absurdit.

These couplets have been collected in Estremadura and 0ew Castile!

in 8alencia and Andalusia- the four provinces where the %itano racemost abounds. *e wish! however! to remark! that the constitute

scarcel a tenth part of our original gleanings! from which we haveselected one hundred of the most remarkable and interesting.

The language of the originals will conve an e+act idea of the

Romman of #pain! as used at the present da amongst the %itanos inthe fairs! when the are buing and selling animals! and wish to

converse with each other in a wa unintelligible to the #paniards.*e are free to confess that it is a mere broken (argon! but it

answers the purpose of those who use it- and it is but (ust toremark that man of its elements are of the most remote anti'uit!

and the most illustrious descent! as will be shown hereafter. *ehave uniforml placed the original b the side of the translation-

for though unwilling to make the %itanos speak in an other mannerthan the are accustomed! we are e'uall averse to have it supposed

that man of the thoughts and e+pressions which occur in these

songs! and which are highl ob(ectionable! originated withourselves. =?

R1/E# &F T1E %ITA0&#

3nto a refuge me the led!To save from dungeon drear-

Then sighing to m wife I said!I leave m bab dear.

,ack from the refuge soon I sped!

/ child)s sweet face to see-Then sternl to m wife I said!

ou)ve seen the last of me.

& when I sit m courser bold!/ bantling in m rear!

And in m hand m musket hold!& how the 'uake with fear.

Pra! little bab! pra the 7ord!#ince guiltless still thou art!

That peace and comfort he afford

To this poor troubled heart.

The false ;uanito! da and night!1ad best with caution go!

The %ps carles of eira height

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1ave sworn to la him low.

There runs a swine down onder hill!As fast as e)er he can!

And as he runs he crieth still!Come! steal me! %ps man.

I wash)d not in the limpid floodThe shirt which binds m frame-,ut in ;uanito Ralli)s blood

I bravel wash)d the same.

I sallied forth upon m gre!

*ith him m hated foe!

And when we reach)d the narrow waI dealt a dagger blow.

To blessed ;esus) hol feet

I)d rush to kill and sla/ plighted lass so fair and sweet!

#hould she the wanton pla.

I for a cup of water cried!,ut the refus)d m praer!

Then straight into the road I hied!And fell to robbing there.

I ask)d for fire to warm m frame!

,ut the)d have scorn)d m praer!If I! to pa them for the same!

1ad stripp)d m bod bare.

Then came adown the village street!

*ith little babes that cr!,ecause the have no crust to eat!

A %ps compan-

And as no charit the meet!The curse the 7ord on high.

I left m house and walk)d about!

The sei<ed me fast and bound-It is a %ps thief! the shout!

The #paniards here have found.

From out the prison me the led!,efore the scribe the brought-

It is no %ps thief! he said!The #paniards here have caught.

Throughout the night! the dusk night!

I prowl in silence round!And with m ees look left and right!

For him! the #panish hound!That with m knife I him ma smite!

And to the vitals wound.

*ill no one to the sister bear 

 0ews of her brother)s plight!

1ow in this cell of dark despair!

To cruel death he)s dight4

The 7ord! as e)en the %entiles state!

, Egpt)s race was bred!

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And when he came to man)s estate!1is blood the %entiles shed.

& never with the %entiles wend!

 0or deem their speeches true-&r else! be certain in the end

Th blood will lose its hue.

From out the prison me the bore!3pon an ass the placed!

And scourg)d me till I dripp)d with gore!As down the road it paced.

The bore me from the prison nook!

The bade me rove at large-*hen out I)d come a gun I took!

And scathed them with its charge.

/ mule so bonn I bestrode!To Portugal I)d flee!

And as I o)er the water rodeA man came suddenl-

And he his love and kindness show)d, setting his dog on me.

3nless within a fortnight)s space

Th face! & maid! I see-Flamenca! of Egptian race!

/ lad love shall be.

Flamenca! of Egptian race!If thou wert onl mine!

*ithin a bonn crstal case

For life I)d thee enshrine.

#ire nor mother me caress!

For I have none on earth-&ne little brother I possess!

And he)s a fool b birth.

Th sire and mother wrath and hate1ave vow)d against me! love:

The first! first night that from the gate*e two together rove.

Come to the window! sweet love! do!

And I will whisper there!In Romman! a word or two!

And thee far off will bear.

A %ps stripling)s sparkling ee1as pierced m bosom)s core!

A feat no ee beneath the skCould e)er effect before.

5ost bid me from the land begone!And thou with child b me4

Each time I come! the little one!

I)ll greet in Romman.

*ith such an ugl! loathl wifeThe 7ord has punish)d me-

I dare not take her for m life

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*here)er the #paniards be.

&! I am not of gentle clan!I)m sprung from %ps tree-

And I will be no gentleman!,ut an Egptian free.

&n high arose the moon so fair!The %ps )gan to sing"I see a #paniard coming there!

I must be on the wing.

This house of harlotr doth smell!

I flee as from the pest-

our mother likes m sire too well-To hie me home is best.

The girl I love more dear than life!

#hould other gallant woo!I)d straight unsheath m dudgeon knife

And cut his weasand through-&r he! the con'ueror in the strife!

The same to me should do.

7oud sang the #panish cavalier!And thus his ditt ran"

%od send the %ps lassie here!And not the %ps man.

At midnight! when the moon began

To show her silver flame!There came to him no %ps man!

The %ps lassie came.

C1APTER II

T1E %itanos! ab(ect and vile as the have ever been! havenevertheless found admirers in #pain! individuals who have taken

 pleasure in their phraseolog! pronunciation! and wa of life- butabove all! in the songs and dances of the females. This desire for

cultivating their ac'uaintance is chiefl prevalent in Andalusia!where! indeed! the most abound- and more especiall in the town of

#eville! the capital of the province! where! in the barrio orFaubourg of Triana! a large %itano colon has long flourished! with

the deni<ens of which it is at all times eas to have intercourse!especiall to those who are free of their mone! and are willing to

 purchase such a gratification at the e+pense of dollars and pesetas.

*hen we consider the character of the Andalusians in general! we

shall find little to surprise us in this predilection for the

%itanos. The are an indolent frivolous people! fond of dancingand song! and sensual amusements. The live under the most

glorious sun and benign heaven in Europe! and their countr is b

nature rich and fertile! et in no province of #pain is there more

 beggar and miser- the greater part of the land beinguncultivated! and producing nothing but thorns and brushwood!affording in itself a striking emblem of the moral state of its

inhabitants.

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Though not destitute of talent! the Andalusians are not much

addicted to intellectual pursuits! at least in the present da.The person in most esteem among them is invariabl the greatest

/A;&! and to ac'uire that character it is necessar to appear inthe dress of a /err Andrew! to bull! swagger! and smoke

continuall! to dance passabl! and to strum the guitar. The are

fond of obscenit and what the term PICAR5IA#. Amongst themlearning is at a terrible discount! %reek! 7atin! or an of thelanguages generall termed learned! being considered in an light

 but accomplishments! but not so the possession of thieves) slang orthe dialect of the %itanos! the knowledge of a few words of which

invariabl creates a certain degree of respect! as indicating that

the individual is somewhat versed in that kind of life or TRAT& for

which alone the Andalusians have an kind of regard.

In Andalusia the %itano has been studied b those who! for variousreasons! have mingled with the %itanos. It is tolerabl well

understood b the chalans! or (ockes! who have picked up manwords in the fairs and market$places which the former fre'uent. It

has! however! been cultivated to a greater degree b otherindividuals! who have sought the societ of the %itanos from a <est

for their habits! their dances! and their songs- and suchindividuals have belonged to all classes! amongst them have been

noblemen and members of the priestl order.

Perhaps no people in Andalusia have been more addicted in generalto the ac'uaintance of the %itanos than the friars! and pre$

eminentl amongst these the half$(ocke half$religious personagesof the Cartu(an convent at 2eres. This communit! now suppressed!

was! as is well known! in possession of a celebrated breed ofhorses! which fed in the pastures of the convent! and from which

the derived no inconsiderable part of their revenue. These

reverend gentlemen seem to have been much better versed in the points of a horse than in points of theolog! and to have

understood thieves) slang and %itano far better than the language

of the 8ulgate. A chalan! who had some knowledge of the %itano!related to me the following singular anecdote in connection with

this sub(ect.

1e had occasion to go to the convent! having been long in treatwith the friars for a steed which he had been commissioned b a

nobleman to bu at an reasonable price. The friars! however! weree+orbitant in their demands. &n arriving at the gate! he sang to

the friar who opened it a couplet which he had composed in the%ps tongue! in which he stated the highest price which he was

authorised to give for the animal in 'uestion- whereupon the friarinstantl answered in the same tongue in an e+temporar couplet

full of abuse of him and his emploer! and forthwith slammed thedoor in the face of the disconcerted (ocke.

An Augustine friar of #eville! called! we believe! Father /anso!

who lived some twent ears ago! is still remembered for his passion for the %itanos- he seemed to be under the influence of

fascination! and passed ever moment that he could steal from his

clerical occupations in their compan. 1is conduct at last becameso notorious that he fell under the censure of the In'uisition!

 before which he was summoned- whereupon he alleged! in his defence!

that his sole motive for following the %itanos was <eal for their

spiritual conversion. *hether this plea availed him we know not- but it is probable that the 1ol &ffice dealt mildl with him- suchoffenders! indeed! have never had much to fear from it. 1ad he

 been accused of liberalism! or searching into the #criptures!

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instead of connection with the %itanos! we should! doubtless! haveheard either of his e+ecution or imprisonment for life in the cells

of the cathedral of #eville.

#uch as are thus addicted to the %itanos and their language! arecalled! in Andalusia! 7os del) Aficion! or those of the

 predilection. These people have! during the last fift ears!

composed a spurious kind of %ps literature" we call it spurious because it did not originate with the %itanos! who are! moreover!utterl unac'uainted with it! and to whom it would be for the most

 part unintelligible. It is somewhat difficult to conceive thereason which induced these individuals to attempt such

compositions- the onl probable one seems to have been a desire to

displa to each other their skill in the language of their

 predilection. It is right! however! to observe! that most of thesecompositions! with respect to language! are highl absurd! the

greatest liberties being taken with the words picked up amongst the%itanos! of the true meaning of which the writers! in man

instances! seem to have been entirel ignorant. From what we canlearn! the composers of this literature flourished chiefl at the

commencement of the present centur" Father /anso is said to have been one of the last. /an of their compositions! which are both

in poetr and prose! e+ist in manuscript in a compilation made bone 7uis 7obo. It has never been our fortune to see this

compilation! which! indeed! we scarcel regret! as a rather curiouscircumstance has afforded us a perfect knowledge of its contents.

*hilst at #eville! chance made us ac'uainted with a highl

e+traordinar individual! a tall! bon! meagre figure! in atattered Andalusian hat! ragged capote! and still more ragged

 pantaloons! and seemingl between fort and fift ears of age.The onl appellation to which he answered was /anuel. 1is

occupation! at the time we knew him! was selling tickets for the

lotter! b which he obtained a miserable livelihood in #eville andthe neighbouring villages. 1is appearance was altogether wild and

uncouth! and there was an insane e+pression in his ee. &bserving

us one da in conversation with a %itana! he addressed us! and wesoon found that the sound of the %itano language had struck a chord

which vibrated through the depths of his soul. 1is histor wasremarkable- in his earl outh a manuscript cop of the compilation

of 7uis 7obo had fallen into his hands. This book had so takenhold of his imagination! that he studied it night and da until he

had planted it in his memor from beginning to end- but in sodoing! his brain! like that of the hero of Cervantes! had become

dr and heated! so that he was unfitted for an serious or usefuloccupation. After the death of his parents he wandered about the

streets in great distress! until at last he fell into the hands ofcertain toreros! or bull$fighters! who kept him about them! in

order that he might repeat to them the songs of the AFICI&0. Thesubse'uentl carried him to /adrid! where! however! the soon

deserted him after he had e+perienced much brutalit from theirhands. 1e returned to #eville! and soon became the inmate of a

madhouse! where he continued several ears. 1aving partiallrecovered from his malad! he was liberated! and wandered about as

 before. 5uring the cholera at #eville! when nearl twent thousand

human beings perished! he was appointed conductor of one of thedeath$carts! which went through the streets for the purpose of

 picking up the dead bodies. 1is perfect inoffensiveness eventuall

 procured him friends! and he obtained the situation of vendor of

lotter tickets. 1e fre'uentl visited us! and would then recitelong passages from the work of 7obo. 1e was wont to sa that hewas the onl one in #eville! at the present da! ac'uainted with

the language of the Aficion- for though there were man pretenders!

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their knowledge was confined to a few words.

From the recitation of this individual! we wrote down the,ri(indope! or 5eluge! and the poem on the plague which broke out

in #eville in the ear >G. These and some songs of lessconse'uence! constitute the poetical part of the compilation in

'uestion- the rest! which is in prose! consisting chiefl of

translations from the #panish! of proverbs and religious pieces.

,RI;I05&PE. $ T1E 5E73%E =D?A P&E/" I0 T*& PART#

PART T1E FIR#T

I with fear and terror 'uake!

*hilst the pen to write I take-I will utter man a pra)r 

To the heaven)s Regent fair!That she deign to succour me!

And I)ll humbl bend m knee-For but poorl do I know

*ith m sub(ect on to go-Therefore is m wisest plan

 0ot to trust in strength of man.I m heav sins bewail!

*hilst I view the wo and wail1anded down so solemnl

In the book of times gone b.&nward! onward! now I)ll move

In the name of Christ above!And his /other true and dear!

#he who loves the wretch to cheer.

All I know! and all I)ve heardI will state $ how %od appear)d

And to 0oah thus did cr"

*ear with the world am I-7et an ark b thee be built!

For the world is lost in guilt-And when thou hast built it well!

7oud proclaim what now I tell"#traight repent e! for our 7ord

In his hand doth hold a sword.And good 0oah thus did call"

#traight repent e one and all!For the world with grief I see

7ost in vileness utterl.%od)s own mandate I but do!

1e hath sent me unto ou.7augh)d the world to bitter scorn!

I his cruel sufferings mourn-,rawn ouths with furious air 

5rag the Patriarch b the hair-7ewdness governs ever one"

7eaves her convent now the nun!

And the monk abroad I seePractising ini'uit.

 0ow I)ll tell how %od! intent

To avenge! a vapour sent!

*ith full man a dreadful sign $/ight! might fear is mine"As I hear the thunders roll!

#eems to die m ver soul-

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As I see the world o)erspreadAll with darkness thick and dread-

I the pen can scarcel plFor the tears which dim m ee!

And o)ercome with grievous wo!Fear the task I must forego

I have purposed to perform. $

1ark! I hear upon the stormThousand! thousand devils fl!*ho with awful howlings cr"

 0ow)s the time and now)s the hour!*e have licence! we have power 

To obtain a glorious pre. $

I with horror turn awa-

Tumbles house and tumbles wall-Thousands lose their lives and all!

8oiding curses! screams and groans!For the beams! the bricks and stones

,ruise and bur all below $ 0or is that the worst! I trow!

For the clouds begin to pour Floods of water more and more!

5own upon the world with might! 0ever pausing da or night.

 0ow in terrible distressAll to %od their cries address!

And his /other dear adore! $,ut the time of grace is o)er!

For the Almight in the sk1olds his hand upraised on high.

 0ow)s the time of madden)d rout!1ideous cr! despairing shout-

*hither! whither shall the fl4

For the danger threat)ningl5raweth near on ever side!

And the earth! that)s opening wide!

#wallows thousands in its womb!*ho would )scape the dreadful doom.

&f dear hope e+ists no gleam!#till the water down doth stream-

 0e)er so little a creeping thing,ut from out its hold doth spring"

#ee the mouse! and see its mate#cour along! nor stop! nor wait-

#ee the serpent and the snakeFor the nearest highlands make-

The tarantula I view!Emmet small and cricket too!

All unknowing where to fl!In the stifling waters die.

#ee the goat and bleating sheep!#ee the bull with bellowings deep.

And the rat with s'uealings shrill!The have mounted on the hill"

#ee the stag! and see the doe!

1ow together fond the go-7ion! tiger$beast! and pard!

To escape are striving hard"

Followed b her little ones!

#ee the hare how swift she runs"Asses! he and she! a pair./ute and mule with bra and blare!

And the rabbit and the fo+!

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That our lives e do amend-For no wat)r punishment!

,ut a heavier shall be sent-For the blessed saints pretend

That the latter world shall endTo tremendous fire a pre!

And to ashes sink awa.

To the Ark I now go back!*hich pursues its drear track!7ost and )wilder)d till the 7ord

In his merc rest accord.Earl of a morning tide

The unclosed a window wide!

1eaven)s beacon to descr!

And a gentle dove let fl!&f the world to seek some trace!

And in two short hours) spaceIt returns with ees that glow!

In its beak an olive bough.*ith a loud and might sound!

The e+claim" )The world we)ve found.)To a mountain nigh the drew!

And when there themselves the view!,ound the swiftl on the shore!

And their fervent thanks outpour!7owl kneeling to their %od-

Then their wa a couple trod!/an and woman! hand in hand!

,ent to populate the land!To the /oorish region fair $

And another two repair To the countr of the %aul-

In this manner wend the all!

And the seeds of nations la.I beseech e)ll credence pa!

For our father! high and sage!

*rote the tale in sacred page!As a record to the world!

Record sad of vengeance hurl)d.I! a low and humble wight!

,eg permission now to write3nto all that in our land

Tongue Egptian understand./a our 8irgin /other mild

%rant to me! her erring child!Plenteous grace in ever wa!

And success. Amen I sa.

T1E PE#TI7E0CE

I)m resolved now to tell

In the speech of %ps$landAll the horror that befell

In this cit huge and grand.

In the eighteenth hundred ear In the midst of summertide!%od! with man dissatisfied!

1is right hand on high did rear!

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*ith a rigour most severe-*hence we well might understand

1e would strict account demand&f our lives and actions here.

The dread event to render clear  0ow the pen I take in hand.

At the dread event aghast!#traight the world reform)d its course-et is sin in greater force!

 0ow the punishment is past-For the thought of %od is cast

All and utterl aside!

As if death itself had died.

Therefore to the present raceThese memorial lines I trace

In old Egpt)s tongue of pride.

As the streets ou wander)d through1ow ou 'uail)d with fear and dread!

1eaps of ding and of deadAt the leeches) door to view.

To the tavern & how fewTo regale on wine repair-

All a sickl aspect wear.#a what heart such sights could brook $

*ail and woe where)er ou look $*ail and woe and ghastl care.

Pling fast their rosaries!

#ee the people pace the street!And for pardon %od entreat

7ong and loud with streaming ees.

And the carts of various si<e!Piled with corses! high in air!

To the plain their burden bear.

& what grief it is to me 0ot a friar or priest to see

In this cit huge and fair.

&0 T1E 7A0%3A%E &F T1E %ITA0&#

)I am not ver willing that an language should be totalle+tinguished- the similitude and derivation of languages afford the

most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations! and thegenealog of mankind- the add often phsical certaint to

historical evidence of ancient migrations! and of the revolutionsof ages which left no written monuments behind them.) $ ;&10#&0.

T1E %ps dialect of #pain is at present ver much shattered and

 broken! being rather the fragments of the language which the%psies brought with them from the remote regions of the East than

the language itself" it enables! however! in its actual state! the

%itanos to hold conversation amongst themselves! the import of

which is 'uite dark and msterious to those who are not of theirrace! or b some means have become ac'uainted with theirvocabular. The relics of this tongue! singularl curious in

themselves! must be ever particularl interesting to the

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 philological anti'uarian! inasmuch as the enable him to arrive ata satisfactor conclusion respecting the origin of the %ps race.

5uring the later part of the last centur! the curiosit of somelearned individuals! particularl %rellmann! Richardson! and

/arsden! induced them to collect man words of the Romanianlanguage! as spoken in %erman! 1ungar! and England! which! upon

analsing! the discovered to be in general either pure #anscrit or

1industani words! or modifications thereof- these investigationshave been continued to the present time b men of e'ual curiositand no less erudition! the result of which has been the

establishment of the fact! that the %psies of those countries arethe descendants of a tribe of 1indus who for some particular reason

had abandoned their native countr. In England! of late! the

%psies have e+cited particular attention- but a desire far more

noble and laudable than mere anti'uarian curiosit has given riseto it! namel! the desire of propagating the glor of Christ

amongst those who know 1im not! and of saving souls from the (awsof the infernal wolf. It is! however! with the %psies of #pain!

and not with those of England and other countries! that we are nowoccupied! and we shall merel mention the latter so far as the ma

serve to elucidate the case of the %itanos! their brethren b bloodand language. #pain for man centuries has been the countr of

error- she has mistaken stern and savage trann for rationalgovernment- base! low! and grovelling superstition for clear!

 bright! and soul$ennobling religion- sordid cheating she hasconsidered as the path to riches- ve+atious persecution as the path

to power- and the conse'uence has been! that she is now poor and powerless! a pagan amongst the pagans! with a do<en kings! and with

none. Can we be surprised! therefore! that! mistaken in polic!religion! and moral conduct! she should have fallen into error on

 points so naturall dark and msterious as the histor and originof those remarkable people whom for the last four hundred ears she

has supported under the name of %itanos4 The idea entertained at

the present da in #pain respecting this race is! that the are thedescendants of the /oriscos who remained in #pain! wandering about

amongst the mountains and wildernesses! after the e+pulsion of the

great bod of the nation from the countr in the time of Philip theThird! and that the form a distinct bod! entirel unconnected

with the wandering tribes known in other countries b the names of,ohemians! %psies! etc. This! like all unfounded opinions! of

course originated in ignorance! which is alwas read to haverecourse to con(ecture and guesswork! in preference to travelling

through the long! mountainous! and ston road of patientinvestigation- it is! however! an error far more absurd and more

destitute of tenable grounds than the ancient belief that the%itanos were Egptians! which the themselves have alwas professed

to be! and which the original written documents which the broughtwith them on their first arrival in *estern Europe! and which bore

the signature of the king of ,ohemia! e+pressl stated them to be.The onl clue to arrive at an certaint respecting their origin!

is the language which the still speak amongst themselves- but before we can avail ourselves of the evidence of this language! it

will be necessar to make a few remarks respecting the principallanguages and dialects of that immense tract of countr! peopled b

at least eight millions of human beings! generall known b the

name of 1industan! two Persian words tantamount to the land of Ind!or! the land watered b the river Indus.

The most celebrated of these languages is the #anskrida! or! as it

is known in Europe! the #anscrit! which is the language of religionof all those nations amongst whom the faith of ,rahma has beenadopted- but though the language of religion! b which we mean the

tongue in which the religious books of the ,rahmanic sect were

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originall written and are still preserved! it has long sinceceased to be a spoken language- indeed! histor is silent as to an

 period when it was a language in common use amongst an of thevarious tribes of the 1indus- its knowledge! as far as reading and

writing it went! having been entirel confined to the priests of,rahma! or ,rahmans! until within the last half$centur! when the

,ritish! having sub(ugated the whole of 1industan! caused it to be

openl taught in the colleges which the established for theinstruction of their outh in the languages of the countr. Thoughsufficientl difficult to ac'uire! principall on account of its

 prodigious richness in snonms! it is no longer a sealed language!$ its laws! structure! and vocabular being sufficientl well known

 b means of numerous elementar works! adapted to facilitate its

stud. It has been considered b famous philologists as the mother

not onl of all the languages of Asia! but of all others in theworld. #o wild and preposterous an idea! however! onl serves to

 prove that a devotion to philolog! whose principal ob(ect should be the e+pansion of the mind b the various treasures of learning

and wisdom which it can unlock! sometimes onl tends to its bewilderment! b causing it to embrace shadows for realit. The

most that can be allowed! in reason! to the #anscrit is that it isthe mother of a certain class or famil of languages! for e+ample!

those spoken in 1industan! with which most of the European! whetherof the #clavonian! %othic! or Celtic stock! have some connection.

True it is that in this case we know not how to dispose of theancient 6end! the mother of the modern Persian! the language in

which were written those writings generall attributed to6erduscht! or 6oroaster! whose affinit to the said tongues is as

easil established as that of the #anscrit! and which! in respectto anti'uit! ma well dispute the palm with its Indian rival.

Avoiding! however! the discussion of this point! we shall contentourselves with observing! that closel connected with the #anscrit!

if not derived from it! are the ,engali! the high 1industani! or

grand popular language of 1industan! generall used b the learnedin their intercourse and writings! the languages of /ultan!

%u<erat! and other provinces! without mentioning the mi+ed dialect

called /ongolian 1industani! a corrupt (argon of Persian! Turkish!Arabic! and 1indu words! first used b the /ongols! after the

con'uest! in their intercourse with the natives. /an of the principal languages of Asia are totall unconnected with the

#anscrit! both in words and grammatical structure- these are mostlof the great Tartar famil! at the head of which there is good

reason for placing the Chinese and Tibetian.

,earing the same analog to the #anscrit tongue as the Indiandialects specified above! we find the Romman! or speech of the

Roma! or 6incali! as the stle themselves! known in England and#pain as %psies and %itanos. This speech! wherever it is spoken!

is! in all principal points! one and the same! though more or lesscorrupted b foreign words! picked up in the various countries to

which those who use it have penetrated. &ne remarkable featuremust not be passed over without notice! namel! the ver

considerable number of #clavonic words! which are to be foundembedded within it! whether it be spoken in #pain or %erman! in

England or Ital- from which circumstance we are led to the

conclusion! that these people! in their wa from the East!travelled in one large compact bod! and that their route la

through some region where the #clavonian language! or a dialect

thereof! was spoken. This region I have no hesitation in asserting

to have been ,ulgaria! where the probabl tarried for aconsiderable period! as nomad herdsmen! and where numbers of themare still to be found at the present da. ,esides the man

#clavonian words in the %ps tongue! another curious feature

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attracts the attention of the philologist $ an e'ual or stillgreater 'uantit of terms from the modern %reek- indeed! we have

full warrant for assuming that at one period the #panish section!if not the rest of the %ps nation! understood the %reek language

well! and that! besides their own Indian dialect! the occasionallused it for considerabl upwards of a centur subse'uent to their

arrival! as amongst the %itanos there were individuals to whom it

was intelligible so late as the ear >D.

*here this knowledge was obtained it is difficult to sa! $ perhaps

in ,ulgaria! where two$thirds of the population profess the %reekreligion! or rather in Romania! where the Romaic is generall

understood- that the 5I5 understand the Romaic in >D! we gather

from a ver remarkable work! called E7 E#T35I&#& C&RTE#A0&! written

 b 7oren<o Palmireno" this learned and highl e+traordinarindividual was b birth a 8alencian! and died about >DG- he was

 professor at various universities $ of rhetoric at 8alencia! of%reek at 6aragossa! where he gave lectures! in which he e+plained

the verses of 1omer- he was a proficient in %reek! ancient andmodern! and it should be observed that! in the passage which we are

about to cite! he means himself b the learned individual who heldconversation with the %itanos. =? E7 E#T35I&#& C&RTE#A0& was

reprinted at Alcala in >DG! from which edition we now cop.

)*ho are the %itanos4 I answer- these vile people first began toshow themselves in %erman! in the ear >>! where the call them

Tartars or %entiles- in Ital the are termed Ciani. The pretendthat the come from 7ower Egpt! and that the wander about as a

 penance! and to prove this! the show letters from the king ofPoland. The lie! however! for the do not lead the life of

 penitents! but of dogs and thieves. A learned person! in the ear>D! prevailed with them! b dint of much persuasion! to show him

the king)s letter! and he gathered from it that the time of their

 penance was alread e+pired- he spoke to them in the Egptiantongue- the said! however! as it was a long time since their

departure from Egpt! the did not understand it- he then spoke to

them in the vulgar %reek! such as is used at present in the /oreaand Archipelago- #&/E 305ER#T&&5 IT! others did not- so that as all

did not understand it! we ma conclude that the language which theuse is a feigned one! =? got up b thieves for the purpose of

concealing their robberies! like the (argon of blind beggars.)

#till more abundant! however! than the mi+ture of %reek! still moreabundant than the mi+ture of #clavonian! is the allo in the %ps

language! wherever spoken! of modern Persian words! whichcircumstance will compel us to offer a few remarks on the share

which the Persian has had in the formation of the dialects ofIndia! as at present spoken.

The modern Persian! as has been alread observed! is a daughter of

the ancient 6end! and! as such! is entitled to claim affinit withthe #anscrit! and its dialects. *ith this language none in the

world would be able to vie in simplicit and beaut! had not thePersians! in adopting the religion of /ahomet! unfortunatel

introduces into their speech an infinit of words of the rude

coarse language used b the barbaric Arab tribes! the immediatefollowers of the warlike Prophet. *ith the rise of Islam the

modern Persian was doomed to be carried into India. This countr!

from the time of Ale+ander! had en(oed repose from e+ternal

aggression! had been ruled b its native princes! and been permitted b Providence to e+ercise! without control or reproof!the degrading superstitions! and the unnatural and blood rites of

a religion at the formation of which the fiends of cruelt and lust

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seem to have presided- but reckoning was now about to be demandedof the accursed ministers of this sstem for the pain! torture! and

miser which the had been instrumental in inflicting on theircountrmen for the gratification of their avarice! filth passions!

and pride- the new /ahometans were at hand $ Arab! Persian! andAfghan! with the glittering scimitar upraised! full of <eal for the

glor and adoration of the one high %od! and the relentless

 persecutors of the idol$worshippers. Alread! in the four hundredand twent$si+th ear of the 1egeira! we read of the destruction ofthe great ,utkhan! or image$house of #umnaut! b the armies of the

far$con'uering /ahmoud! when the dissevered heads of the ,rahmansrolled down the steps of the gigantic and ,abel$like temple of the

great image $

KTe+t which cannot be reproduced $ Arabic4L

=This image grim! whose name was 7aut!,old /ahmoud found when he took #umnaut.?

It is not our intention to follow the con'uests of the /ahometans

from the das of *alid and /ahmoud to those of Timour and 0adir-sufficient to observe! that the greatest part of India was subdued!

new monarchies established! and the old religion! though far too powerful and widel spread to be e+tirpated! was to a considerable

e+tent abashed and humbled before the bright rising sun of Islam.The Persian language! which the con'uerors =G? of whatever

denomination introduced with them to 1industan! and which theirdescendants at the present da still retain! though not lords of

the ascendant! speedil became widel e+tended in these regions!where it had previousl been unknown. As the language of the

court! it was of course studied and ac'uired b all those nativeswhose wealth! rank! and influence necessaril brought them into

connection with the ruling powers- and as the language of the camp!

it was carried into ever part of the countr where the duties ofthe soldier sooner or later conducted them- the result of which

relations between the con'uerors and con'uered was the adoption

into the popular dialects of India of an infinit of modern Persianwords! not merel those of science! such as it e+ists in the East!

and of lu+ur and refinement! but even those which serve to e+pressman of the most common ob(ects! necessities! and ideas! so that at

the present da a knowledge of the Persian is essential for thethorough understanding of the principal dialects of 1industan! on

which account! as well as for the assistance which it affords incommunication with the /ahometans! it is cultivated with peculiar

care b the present possessors of the land.

 0o surprise! therefore! can be entertained that the speech of the%itanos in general! who! in all probabilit! departed from

1industan long subse'uent to the first /ahometan invasions!abounds! like other Indian dialects! with words either purel

Persian! or slightl modified to accommodate them to the genius ofthe language. *hether the Romman originall constituted part of

the natives of /ultan or %u<erat! and abandoned their native landto escape from the torch and sword of Tamerlane and his /ongols! as

%rellmann and others have supposed! or whether! as is much more

 probable! the were a thievish caste! like some others still to befound in 1industan! who fled westward! either from the vengeance of

 (ustice! or in pursuit of plunder! their speaking Persian is alike

satisfactoril accounted for. *ith the view of e+hibiting how

closel their language is connected with the #anscrit and Persian!we sub(oin the first ten numerals in the three tongues! those ofthe %ps according to the 1ungarian dialect. =H?

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  %ps. Persian. #anscrit. =?

> ;ek Ek Ega

@ 5ui 5u 5vaaB Trin #e Trea

#chtar Chehar Tschatvar 

D Pansch Pansch Pantscha Tschov #chesche #chasda Efta 1eft #apta

G &chto 1escht AschtaH Eni(a 0u 0ava

> 5osch 5e 5ascha

It would be eas for us to adduce a thousand instances! as striking

as the above! of the affinit of the %ps tongue to the Persian!#anscrit! and the Indian dialects! but we have not space for

further observation on a point which long since has beensufficientl discussed b others endowed with abler pens than our

own- but having made these preliminar remarks! which we deemednecessar for the elucidation of the sub(ect! we now hasten to

speak of the %itano language as used in #pain! and to determine! bits evidence =and we again repeat! that the language is the onl

criterion b which the 'uestion can be determined?! how far the%itanos of #pain are entitled to claim connection with the tribes

who! under the names of 6ingani! etc.! are to be found in various parts of Europe! following! in general! a life of wandering

adventure! and practising the same kind of thievish arts whichenable those in #pain to obtain a livelihood at the e+pense of the

more honest and industrious of the communit.

The %itanos of #pain! as alread stated! are generall believed to

 be the descendants of the /oriscos! and have been asserted to besuch in printed books. =>? 0ow the are known to speak a language

or (argon amongst themselves which the other natives of #pain do

not understand- of course! then! supposing them to be of /oriscoorigin! the words of this tongue or (argon! which are not #panish!

are the relics of the Arabic or /oorish tongue once spoken in#pain! which the have inherited from their /oorish ancestors. 0ow

it is well known! that the /oorish of #pain was the same tongue asthat spoken at present b the /oors of ,arbar! from which countr

#pain was invaded b the Arabs! and to which the again retiredwhen unable to maintain their ground against the armies of the

Christians. *e will! therefore! collate the numerals of the#panish %itano with those of the /oorish tongue! preceding both

with those of the 1ungarian %ps! of which we have alread madeuse! for the purpose of making clear the affinit of that language

to the #anscrit and Persian. , this collation we shall at once perceive whether the %itano of #pain bears most resemblance to the

Arabic! or the Romman of other lands.

  1ungarian #panish /oorish

  %ps. %itano. Arabic.

> ;ek e'ue *ahud

@ 5ui 5ui #nain

B Trin Trin #lat<a

#chtar Estar ArbaD Pansch Pansche 9hamsa Tschov ;ob. 6oi #eta

Efta 1efta #ebea

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G &chto &tor #miniaH Eni(a Esnia =0u. PER#.? Tussa

> 5osch 5e'ue Aschra

*e believe the above specimens will go ver far to change theopinion of those who have imbibed the idea that the %itanos of

#pain are the descendants of /oors! and are of an origin different

from that of the wandering tribes of Romman in other parts of theworld! the specimens of the two dialects of the %ps! as far asthe go! being so strikingl similar! as to leave no doubt of their

original identit! whilst! on the contrar! with the /oorishneither the one nor the other e+hibits the slightest point of

similarit or connection. ,ut with these specimens we shall not

content ourselves! but proceed to give the names of the most common

things and ob(ects in the 1ungarian and #panish %itano!collaterall! with their e'uivalents in the /oorish Arabic- from

which it will appear that whilst the former are one and the samelanguage! the are in ever respect at variance with the latter.

*hen we consider that the Persian has adopted so man words and phrases from the Arabic! we are at first disposed to wonder that a

considerable portion of these words are not to be discovered inever dialect of the %ps tongue! since the Persian has lent it so

much of its vocabular. et such is b no means the case! as it isver uncommon! in an one of these dialects! to discover words

derived from the Arabic. Perhaps! however! the followingconsideration will help to solve this point. The %itanos! even

 before the left India! were probabl much the same rude! thievish!and ignorant people as the are at the present da. 0ow the words

adopted b the Persian from the Arabic! and which it subse'uentlintroduced into the dialects of India! are sounds representing

ob(ects and ideas with which such a people as the %itanos couldnecessaril be but scantil ac'uainted! a people whose circle of

ideas onl embraces phsical ob(ects! and who never commune with

their own minds! nor e+ert them but in devising low and vulgarschemes of pillage and deceit. *hatever is visible and common is

seldom or never represented b the Persians! even in their books!

 b the help of Arabic words" the sun and stars! the sea and river!the earth! its trees! its fruits! its flowers! and all that it

 produces and supports! are seldom named b them b other terms thanthose which their own language is capable of affording- but in

e+pressing the abstract thoughts of their minds! and the are a people who think much and well! the borrow largel from the

language of their religion $ the Arabic. *e therefore! perhaps!ought not to be surprised that in the scant phraseolog of the

%itanos! amongst so much Persian! we find so little that is Arabic-had their pursuits been less vile! their desires less animal! and

their thoughts less circumscribed! it would probabl have beenotherwise- but from time immemorial the have shown themselves a

nation of pett thieves! horse$traffickers! and the like! without athought of the morrow! being content to provide against the evil of

the passing da.

The following is a comparison of words in the three languages"$

  1ungarian #panish /oorish  %ps.=@? %itano. Arabic.

,one Cokalos Cocal Adorn

Cit For(us Foros ,eled5a 5ives Chibes oum5rink =to? Piava Piar eschrab

Ear 9an Can &othin

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Ee ;akh A'uia EinFeather Por Porumia Risch

Fire 8ag a'ue AfiaFish /ac<o /acho 1ut<

Foot Pir Piro! pindro R(il%old #onkai #onacai 5ahab

%reat ,aro ,aro uibir 

1air ,ala ,al #char 1e! pron. *ow & 1u1ead Tschero ;ero Ras

1ouse 9er uer 5ar 1usband Rom Ron 6oo(e

7ightning /olni(a /aluno ,rak 

7ove =to? Camaba Camelar ehib

/an /anusch /anu Ra(il/ilk Tud Chuti 1elib

/ountain ,ar ,ur 5(ibil/outh /ui /ui Fum

 0ame 0ao 0ao Ism 0ight Rat Rachi 7ila

 0ose 0akh 0a'ui /unghar &ld Puro Puro #haive

Red 7al 7alo 1amr #alt 7on 7on /ela

#ing %(uwawa %ilabar Iganni#un Cam Can #chems

Thief Tschor Choro 1aramThou Tu Tucue Antsin

Tongue Tschib Chipe 7sanTooth 5ant 5ani #inn

Tree 9arscht Caste #chi<ara*ater Pani Pani /a

*ind ,arbar ,arban Ruhk 

*e shall offer no further observations respecting the affinit of

the #panish %itano to the other dialects! as we conceive we havealread afforded sufficient proof of its original identit with

them! and conse'uentl shaken to the ground the absurd opinion thatthe %itanos of #pain are the descendants of the Arabs and /oriscos.

*e shall now conclude with a few remarks on the present state ofthe %itano language in #pain! where! perhaps! within the course of

a few ears! it will have perished! without leaving a vestige ofits having once e+isted- and where! perhaps! the singular people

who speak it are likewise doomed to disappear! becoming sooner orlater engulfed and absorbed in the great bod of the nation!

amongst whom the have so long e+isted a separate and peculiarclass.

Though the words or a part of the words of the original tongue

still remain! preserved b memor amongst the %itanos! itsgrammatical peculiarities have disappeared! the entire language

having been modified and sub(ected to the rules of #panish grammar!with which it now coincides in snta+! in the con(ugation of verbs!

and in the declension of its nouns. *ere it possible or necessar

to collect all the relics of this speech! the would probablamount to four or five thousand words- but to effect such an

achievement! it would be necessar to hold close and long

intercourse with almost ever %itano in #pain! and to e+tract! b

various means! the peculiar information which he might be capableof affording- for it is necessar to state here! that though suchan amount of words ma still e+ist amongst the %itanos in general!

no single individual of their sect is in possession of one$third

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abraco! ofrecerseme.) $ 3E8E5&. 8ida dal gran Tacano.

1A8I0% in the preceding article endeavoured to afford all necessar

information concerning the Romman! or language used b the %psiesamongst themselves! we now propose to turn our attention to a

sub(ect of no less interest! but which has hitherto never been

treated in a manner calculated to lead to an satisfactor resultor conclusion- on the contrar! though philosophic minds have beenengaged in its consideration! and learned pens have not disdained

to occup themselves with its details! it still remains a singular proof of the errors into which the most acute and laborious writers

are apt to fall! when the take upon themselves the task of writing

on matters which cannot be studied in the closet! and on which no

information can be received b mi+ing in the societ of the wise!the lettered! and the respectable! but which must be investigated

in the fields! and on the borders of the highwas! in prisons! andamongst the dregs of societ. 1ad the latter sstem been pursued

in the matter now before us! much clearer! more rational! and more (ust ideas would long since have been entertained respecting the

%ermania! or language of thieves.

In most countries of Europe there e+ists! amongst those who obtaintheir e+istence b the breach of the law! and b preing upon the

fruits of the labours of the 'uiet and orderl portion of societ!a particular (argon or dialect! in which the former discuss their

schemes and plans of plunder! without being in general understood b those to whom the are obno+ious. The name of this (argon

varies with the countr in which it is spoken. In #pain it iscalled )%ermania)- in France! )Argot)- in %erman! )Rothwelsch!) or

Red Italian- in Ital! )%ergo)- whilst in England it is known bman names- for e+ample! )cant! slang! thieves) 7atin!) etc. The

most remarkable circumstance connected with the histor of this

 (argon is! that in all the countries in which it is spoken! it hasinvariabl! b the authors who have treated of it! and who are

numerous! been confounded with the %ps language! and asserted to

 be the speech of those wanderers who have so long infested Europeunder the name of %itanos! etc. 1ow far this belief is founded in

 (ustice we shall now endeavour to show! with the premise thatwhatever we advance is derived! not from the assertions or opinions

of others! but from our own observation- the point in 'uestion being one which no person is capable of solving! save him who has

mi+ed with %itanos and thieves! $ not with the former merel or thelatter! but with both.

*e have alread stated what is the Romman or language of the

%psies. *e have proved that when properl spoken it is to allintents and purposes entitled to the appellation of a language! and

that wherever it e+ists it is virtuall the same- that its originis illustrious! it being a daughter of the #anscrit! and in

conse'uence in close connection with some of the most celebratedlanguages of the East! although it at present is onl used b the

most unfortunate and degraded of beings! wanderers without home andalmost without countr! as wherever the are found the are

considered in the light of foreigners and interlopers. *e shall

now state what the language of thieves is! as it is generallspoken in Europe- after which we shall proceed to analse it

according to the various countries in which it is used.

The dialect used for their own peculiar purposes amongst thieves is b no means entitled to the appellation of a language! but in eversense to that of a (argon or gibberish! it being for the most part

composed of words of the native language of those who use it!

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according to the particular countr! though invariabl in a meaningdiffering more or less from the usual and received one! and for the

most part in a metaphorical sense. /etaphor and allegor! indeed!seem to form the nucleus of this speech! notwithstanding that other

elements are to be distinguished- for it is certain that in evercountr where it is spoken! it contains man words differing from

the language of that countr! and which ma either be traced to

foreign tongues! or are of an origin at which! in man instances!it is impossible to arrive. That which is most calculated tostrike the philosophic mind when considering this dialect! is

doubtless the fact of its being formed everwhere upon the same principle $ that of metaphor! in which point all the branches

agree! though in others the differ as much from each other as the

languages on which the are founded- for e+ample! as the English

and %erman from the #panish and Italian. This circumstancenaturall leads to the conclusion that the robber language has not

arisen fortuitousl in the various countries where it is at presentspoken! but that its origin is one and the same! it being probabl

invented b the outlaws of one particular countr- b individualsof which it was! in course of time! carried to others! where its

 principles! if not its words! were adopted- for upon no othersupposition can we account for its general metaphorical character

in regions various and distant. It is! of course! impossible tostate with certaint the countr in which this (argon first arose!

et there is cogent reason for supposing that it ma have beenItal. The %ermans call it Rothwelsch! which signifies )Red

Italian!) a name which appears to point out Ital as its birthplace- and which! though b no means of sufficient importance

to determine the 'uestion! is strongl corroborative of thesupposition! when coupled with the following fact. *e have alread

intimated! that wherever it is spoken! this speech! though composedfor the most part of words of the language of the particular

countr! applied in a metaphorical sense! e+hibits a considerable

sprinkling of foreign words- now of these words no slight numberare Italian or bastard 7atin! whether in %erman! whether in #pain!

or in other countries more or less remote from Ital. *hen we

consider the ignorance of thieves in general! their total want ofeducation! the slight knowledge which the possess even of their

mother tongue! it is hardl reasonable to suppose that in ancountr the were ever capable of having recourse to foreign

languages! for the purpose of enriching an peculiar vocabular or phraseolog which the might deem convenient to use among

themselves- nevertheless! b associating with foreign thieves! whohad either left their native countr for their crimes! or from a

hope of reaping a rich harvest of plunder in other lands! it would be eas for them to adopt a considerable number of words belonging

to the languages of their foreign associates! from whom perhapsthe derived an increase of knowledge in thievish arts of ever

description. At the commencement of the fifteenth centur nonation in Europe was at all calculated to vie with the Italian in

arts of an kind! whether those whose tendenc was the benefit orimprovement of societ! or those the practice of which serves to

in(ure and undermine it. The artists and artisans of Ital were to be found in all the countries of Europe! from /adrid to /oscow! and

so were its charlatans! its (ugglers! and multitudes of its

children! who lived b fraud and cunning. Therefore! when acomprehensive view of the sub(ect is taken! there appears to be

little improbabilit in supposing! that not onl were the Italians

the originators of the metaphorical robber (argon! which has been

termed )Red Italian!) but that the were mainl instrumental incausing it to be adopted b the thievish race in various countriesof Europe.

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It is here! however! necessar to state! that in the robber (argonof Europe! elements of another language are to be discovered! and

 perhaps in greater number than the Italian words. The languagewhich we allude to is the Romman- this language has been! in

general! confounded with the vocabular used among thieves! which!however! is a gross error! so gross! indeed! that it is almost

impossible to conceive the manner in which it originated" the

speech of the %psies being a genuine language of &riental origin!and the former little more than a phraseolog of convenience!founded upon particular European tongues. It will be sufficient

here to remark! that the %psies do not understand the (argon ofthe thieves! whilst the latter! with perhaps a few e+ceptions! are

ignorant of the language of the former. Certain words! however! of

the Romman have found admission into the said (argon! which ma be

accounted for b the supposition that the %psies! being themselves b birth! education! and profession! thieves of the first water!

have! on various occasions! formed alliances with the outlaws ofthe various countries in which the are at present to be found!

which association ma have produced the result above alluded to- but it will be as well here to state! that in no countr of Europe

have the %psies forsaken or forgotten their native tongue! and inits stead adopted the )%ermania!) )Red Italian!) or robber (argon!

although in some the preserve their native language in a state ofless purit than in others. *e are induced to make this statement

from an assertion of the celebrated 7oren<o 1ervas! who! in thethird volume of his CATA7&%& 5E 7A# 7E0%3A#! trat. B! cap. vi.! p.

B>>! e+presses himself to the following effect"$ )The properlanguage of the %itanos neither is nor can be found amongst those

who scattered themselves through the western kingdoms of Europe! but onl amongst those who remained in the eastern! where the are

still to be found. The former were notabl divided and disunited!receiving into their bod a great number of European outlaws! on

which account the language in 'uestion was easil adulterated and

soon perished. In #pain! and also in Ital! the %itanos havetotall forgotten and lost their native language- et still wishing

to converse with each other in a language unknown to the #paniards

and Italians! the have invented some words! and have transformedman others b changing the signification which properl belongs to

them in #panish and Italian.) In proof of which assertion he thene+hibits a small number of words of the )Red Italian!) or

allegorical tongue of the thieves of Ital.

It is much to be lamented that a man like 1ervas! so learned! ofsuch knowledge! and upon the whole well$earned celebrit! should

have helped to propagate three such flagrant errors as arecontained in the passages above 'uoted" >st. That the %ps

language! within a ver short period after the arrival of those whospoke it in the western kingdoms of Europe! became corrupted! and

 perished b the admission of outlaws into the %ps fraternit.@ndl. That the %psies! in order to suppl the loss of their

native tongue! invented some words! and modified others! from the#panish and Italian. Brdl. That the %psies of the present da

in #pain and Ital speak the allegorical robber dialect.Concerning the first assertion! namel! that the %psies of the

west lost their language shortl after their arrival! b mi+ing

with the outlaws of those parts! we believe that its erroneousnesswill be sufficientl established b the publication of the present

volume! which contains a dictionar of the #panish %itano! which we

have proved to be the same language in most points as that spoken

 b the eastern tribes. There can be no doubt that the %psies haveat various times formed alliances with the robbers of particularcountries! but that the ever received them in considerable numbers

into their fraternit! as 1ervas has stated! so as to become

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confounded with them! the evidence of our eesight precludes the possibilit of believing. If such were the fact! wh do the

Italian and #panish %psies of the present da still presentthemselves as a distinct race! differing from the other inhabitants

of the west of Europe in feature! colour! and constitution4 *hare the! in whatever situation and under whatever circumstances!

to be distinguished! like ;ews! from the other children of the

Creator4 ,ut it is scarcel necessar to ask such a 'uestion! orindeed to state that the %psies of #pain and Ital have keptthemselves as much apart as! or at least have as little mingled

their blood with the #paniards and Italians as their brethren in1ungaria and Translvania with the inhabitants of those countries!

on which account the still strikingl resemble them in manners!

customs! and appearance. The most e+traordinar assertion of

1ervas is perhaps his second! namel! that the %psies haveinvented particular words to suppl the place of others which the

had lost. The absurdit of this supposition nearl induces us to believe that 1ervas! who has written so much and so laboriousl on

language! was totall ignorant of the philosoph of his sub(ect.There can be no doubt! as we have before admitted! that in the

robber (argon! whether spoken in #pain! Ital! or England! thereare man words at whose etmolog it is ver difficult to arrive-

et such a fact is no e+cuse for the adoption of the opinion thatthese words are of pure invention. A knowledge of the Romman

 proves satisfactoril that man have been borrowed from thatlanguage! whilst man others ma be traced to foreign tongues!

especiall the 7atin and Italian. Perhaps one of the strongestgrounds for concluding that the origin of language was divine is

the fact that no instance can be adduced of the invention! we willnot sa of a language! but even of a single word that is in use in

societ of an kind. Although new dialects are continuall beingformed! it is onl b a sstem of modification! b which roots

almost coeval with time itself are continuall being reproduced

under a fresh appearance! and under new circumstances. The thirdassertion of 1ervas! as to the %itanos speaking the allegorical

language of which he e+hibits specimens! is entitled to about e'ual

credence as the two former. The truth is! that the entire store oferudition of the learned ;esuit! and he doubtless was learned to a

remarkable degree! was derived from books! either printed ormanuscript. 1e compared the %ps words in the publication of

%rellmann with various vocabularies! which had long been ine+istence! of the robber (argons of #pain and Ital! which (argons

 b a strange fatuit had ever been considered as belonging to the%psies. Finding that the %ps words of %rellmann did not at all

correspond with the thieves) slang! he concluded that the %psiesof #pain and Ital had forgotten their own language! and to suppl

its place had invented the (argons aforesaid! but he never gavehimself the trouble to tr whether the %psies reall understood

the contents of his slang vocabularies- had he done so! he wouldhave found that the slang was about as unintelligible to the

%psies as he would have found the specimens of %rellmannunintelligible to the thieves had he 'uoted those specimens to

them. The %psies of #pain! it will be sufficient to observe!speak the language of which a vocabular is given in the present

work! and those of Ital who are generall to be found e+isting in

a half$savage state in the various ruined castles! relics of thefeudal times! with which Ital abounds! a dialect ver similar! and

about as much corrupted. There are! however! to be continuall

found in Ital roving bands of Romman! not natives of the countr!

who make e+cursions from /oldavia and 1ungaria to France and Ital!for the purpose of plunder- and who! if the escape the hand of (ustice! return at the e+piration of two or three ears to their

native regions! with the boot the have amassed b the practice of

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those thievish arts! perhaps at one period peculiar to their race! but at present! for the most part! known and practised b thieves

in general. These bands! however! speak the pure %ps language!with all its grammatical peculiarities. It is evident! however!

that amongst neither of these classes had 1ervas pushed hisresearches! which had he done! it is probable that his

investigations would have resulted in a work of a far different

character from the confused! unsatisfactor! and incorrect detailsof which is formed his essa on the language of the %psies.

1aving said thus much concerning the robber language in general! weshall now proceed to offer some specimens of it! in order that our

readers ma be better able to understand its principles. *e shall

commence with the Italian dialect! which there is reason for

supposing to be the prototpe of the rest. To show what it is! weavail ourselves of some of the words adduced b 1ervas! as

specimens of the language of the %itanos of Ital. )I place them!)he observes! )with the signification which the greater number

 properl have in Italian.)

  Robber (argon Proper signification of   of Ital. the words.

Arm M Ale *ings

  M ,arbacane ,arbican,ell Fagiana Pheasant

5evil Rabuino Perhaps RA,,I0! which!  in 1ebrew! is /aster 

Earth Calcosa #treet! roadEe ,alco ,alcon

Father %rimo &ld! wrinkledFire Presto uick 

%od Anticrotto Probabl A0TIC1RI#T

1air Prusa =B?  M Elmo 1elmet

1ead M ,orella =?

  M Chiurla =D?1eart #alsa #auce

/an &smo From the Italian 3&/&!  which is man

/oon /ocoloso di *ick of the firmament  #ant) Alto

 0ight ,runamaterna /other$brown 0ose %ambaro Crab

#un Ruffo di #ant) Red one of the firmament  Alto

Tongue M #erpentina #erpent$like  M 5anosa 1urtful

*ater M 7en<a Fishing$net  M 8etta =? Top! bud

The %ermania of #pain ma be said to divide itself into two

dialects! the ancient and modern. &f the former there e+ists avocabular! published first b ;uan 1idalgo! in the ear >H! at

,arcelona! and reprinted in /adrid! >B. ,efore noticing this

work! it will perhaps be advisable to endeavour to ascertain thetrue etmolog of the word %ermania! which signifies the slang

vocabular! or robber language of #pain. *e have no intention to

embarrass our readers b offering various con(ectures respecting

its origin- its sound! coupled with its signification! affordingsufficient evidence that it is but a corruption of Romman! which properl denotes the speech of the Roma or %itanos. The thieves

who from time to time associated with this wandering people! and

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),ing out! bien morts! and tour and tour ,ing out! bien morts and tour-

For all our duds are bing)d awast!The bien cove hath the loure. =G?

)I met a dell! I viewed her well!

#he was benship to m watch"

#o she and I did stall and clo*hatever we could catch.

)This do+ dell can cut ben whids!And wap well for a win!

And prig and clo so benshipl!

All dais$ville within.

)The hole was up! we had good luck!

In frost for and in snow-/en the did seek! then we did creep

And plant the roughman)s low.)

It is scarcel necessar to sa anthing more upon the %ermania in

general or in particular- we believe that we have achieved the taskwhich we marked out for ourselves! and have conveed to our readers

a clear and distinct idea of what it is. *e have shown that it has been erroneousl confounded with the Romman! or %itano language!

with which it has nevertheless some points of similarit. The twolanguages are! at the present da! used for the same purpose!

namel! to enable habitual breakers of the law to carr on theirconsultations with more secrec and privac than b the ordinar

means. et it must not be forgotten that the thieves) (argon wasinvented for that purpose! whilst the Romman! originall the

 proper and onl speech of a particular nation! has been preserved

from falling into entire disuse and oblivion! because adapted toanswer the same end. It was impossible to treat of the Romman in

a manner calculated to e+haust the sub(ect! and to leave no ground

for future cavilling! without devoting a considerable space to theconsideration of the robber dialect! on which account we hope we

shall be e+cused man of the dr details which we have introducedinto the present essa. There is a link of connection between the

histor of the Roma! or wanderers from 1industan! who first madetheir appearance in Europe at the commencement of the fifteenth

centur! and that of modern roguer. /an of the arts which the%psies proudl call their own! and which were perhaps at one

 period peculiar to them! have become divulged! and are now practised b the thievish gentr who infest the various European

states! a result which! we ma assert with confidence! was broughtabout b the alliance of the %psies being eagerl sought on their

first arrival b the thieves! who! at one period! were less skilfulthan the former in the was of deceit and plunder- which kind of

association continued and held good until the thieves had ac'uiredall the wished to learn! when the left the %psies in the fields

and plains! so dear to them from their vagabond and nomad habits!and returned to the towns and cities. et from this temporar

association were produced two results- European fraud became

sharpened b coming into contact with Asiatic craft! whilstEuropean tongues! b imperceptible degrees! became recruited with

various words =some of them wonderfull e+pressive?! man of which

have long been stumbling$stocks to the philologist! who! whilst

stigmatising them as words of mere vulgar invention! or of unknownorigin! has been far from dreaming that b a little more researchhe might have traced them to the #clavonic! Persian! or Romaic! or

 perhaps to the msterious ob(ect of his veneration! the #anscrit!

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the sacred tongue of the palm$covered regions of Ind- wordsoriginall introduced into Europe b ob(ects too miserable to

occup for a moment his lettered attention $ the despised deni<ensof the tents of Roma.

&0 T1E TER/ ),3#0&)

Those who have done me the honour to peruse this strange wandering

 book of mine! must fre'uentl have noticed the word ),usno!) a term bestowed b the #panish %ps on his good friend the #paniard. As

the present will probabl be the last occasion which I shall have

to speak of the %itanos or anthing relating to them! it will

 perhaps be advisable to e+plain the meaning of this word. In thevocabular appended to former editions I have translated ,usno b

such words as %entile! savage! person who is not a %ps! and havestated that it is probabl connected with a certain #anscrit noun

signifing an impure person. It is! however! derived immediatelfrom a 1ungarian term! e+ceedingl common amongst the lower orders

of the /agars! to their disgrace be it spoken. The 1ungarian%psies themselves not unfre'uentl stle the 1ungarians ,usnoes!

in ridicule of their unceasing use of the word in 'uestion. Thefirst %psies who entered #pain doubtless brought with them the

term from 1ungar! the language of which countr the probablunderstood to a certain e+tent. That it was not ill applied b

them in #pain no one will be disposed to den when told that ite+actl corresponds with the #hibboleth of the #paniards! )Cara(o!)

an oath e'uall common in #pain as its e'uivalent in 1ungar.,usno! therefore! in #panish means E7 5E7 CARA;&! or he who has

that term continuall in his mouth. The 1ungarian words in #panish%ps ma amount to ten or twelve! a ver inconsiderable number-

 but the 1ungarian %ps tongue itself! as spoken at the present

da! e+hibits onl a slight sprinkling of 1ungarian words! whilstit contains man words borrowed from the *allachian! some of which

have found their wa into #pain! and are in common use amongst the

%itanos.

#PECI/E0# &F %P# 5IA7ECT#

T1E E0%7I#1 5IA7ECT &F T1E R&//A0

)TAC1IPE0 if I (aw )doi! I can lel a bit of tan to hatch" 0)etistI shan)t puch kekomi wafu gorgies.)

The above sentence! dear reader! I heard from the mouth of /r.

Petulengro! the last time that he did me the honour to visit me at

m poor house! which was the da after /ol$divvus =H?! >G@" hestaed with me during the greater part of the morning! discoursing

on the affairs of Egpt! the aspect of which! he assured me! was

 becoming dail worse and worse. )There is no living for the poor

 people! brother!) said he! )the chokengres =police? pursue us from place to place! and the gorgios are become either so poor ormiserl! that the grudge our cattle a bite of grass b the

waside! and ourselves a ard of ground to light a fire upon.

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3nless times alter! brother! and of that I see no probabilit!unless ou are made either poknees or mecralliskoe geiro =(ustice

of the peace or prime minister?! I am afraid the poor persons willhave to give up wandering altogether! and then what will become of

them4)

)1owever! brother!) he continued! in a more cheerful tone! )I am no

hindit mush! =G? as ou well know. I suppose ou have not forgothow! fifteen ears ago! when ou made horseshoes in the littledingle b the side of the great north road! I lent ou fift

cottors =G>? to purchase the wonderful trotting cob of theinnkeeper with the green 0ewmarket coat! which three das after ou

sold for two hundred.

)*ell! brother! if ou had wanted the two hundred instead of thefift! I could have lent them to ou! and would have done so! for I

knew ou would not be long pa<orrhus to me. I am no hindit mush! brother! no Irishman- I laid out the other da twent pounds in

 buing ruponoe peamengries- =G@? and in the Chonggav! =GB? have ahouse of m own with a ard behind it.

)A05! F&R#&&T1! IF I %& T1IT1ER! I CA0 C1&&#E A P7ACE T& 7I%1T

AFIRE 3P&0! A05 #1A77 1A8E 0& 0ECE##IT T& A#9 7EA8E &F T1E#E 1ERE%E0TI7E#.)

*ell! dear reader! this last is the translation of the %ps

sentence which heads the chapter! and which is a vercharacteristic specimen of the general wa of speaking of the

English %psies.

The language! as the generall speak it! is a broken (argon! inwhich few of the grammatical peculiarities of the Romman are to be

distinguished. In fact! what has been said of the #panish %ps

dialect holds good with respect to the English as commonl spoken"et the English dialect has in realit suffered much less than the

#panish! and still retains its original snta+ to a certain e+tent!

its peculiar manner of con(ugating verbs! and declining nouns and pronouns.

E0%7I#1 5IA7ECT

/oro 5ad! savo d(ives oteh dre o charos! te caumen %orgio ta

Roman Chal tiro nav! te awel tiro tem! te kairen tiro lav aukko pre puv! sar kairdios oteh dre o charos. 5e men to$divvus moro

divvuskoe moro! ta for$de men pa<orrhus tuke sar men for$dennalen pa<orrhus amande- ma muk te petrenna dre caik temptacionos-

le men abri sor doschder. Tiro se o tem! /i$duvel! tiro o <oo<luvast! tiro sor koskopen dre sor cheros. Avali. Ta$chipen.

#PA0I#1 5IA7ECT

,atu monro sos socabas ote enre e char! 'ue camele %acho ta RomaniCha tiro nao! 'u)abillele tiro chim! 'uerese tiro lao acoi opre e

 puve sarta se 'uerela ote enre e char. 5inanos se(onia monro

manro de cata chibes! ta estormenanos monrias bisauras sasta mu

estormenamos a monrias bisabadores- na nos me'ues petrar enreca'ue pa(andia! lillanos abri de saro chungalipen. Persos tirosinela o chim! 3ndevel! tiro e silna bast! tiro saro lachipen enre

saro chiros. 3nga. Chachipe.

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Te vas 5el l)erangue ke meclan man abri ando a pan$dibo.&pre rukh sarkhi e chiriclo! ca kerel anre e chiricli.

Ca hin tiro ker4Ando calo berkho! oter bin miro ker! av prala mensar- (as mengue

keri.Ando bersch dui chiro! e ven! ta nilei.

& felhegos del o breschino! te purdel o barbal.

1ir mi 5evlis camo but cavo erai $ lacho manus o! Anglus! tamarakarel 3ngarica- avel catari ando urdon le trin gras$tensas $ beshel cate abri po buklo tan- le poivasis ando bas irinel ando

lel. ,o <edun stad(i ta bari barba.

/uch I ponder wh ou ask me ='uestions?! and wh ou should come

hither.

I pra the sweet %oddess for the gentleman! that the gentleman ma (ourne well! that misfortune come not to the gentleman! and that

the gentleman fall not sick.*hen ou please come back.

1ow man das did the gentleman take to come hither41ow man ears old are ou4

1ere out better =is? the wine than in the cit.The meat is of pig! and the gherkins cost a grosh $ the bread is

white! and the lard costs two groshen.&ne 'uart of wine amongst us.

In wine there =is? happiness.I will eat! I will drink $ two hundred! three hundred I will place

 before.%ive us %oddess health in our bones.

I will seek a waistcoat! which I have! for /oses m brother! and Iwill change names with /oses m brother. =H@?

7ondon =is? a big cit! twent times more big than Colosvar.There is no fire! it is dead.

I have suffered and toiled much" twent and five ears I was

serving in ,aron #plini)s regiment.Ever time =cometh? from %od- that old =age? %od gave.

I wish to go unto ,ukarest $ from ,ukarest! the good countr! =it

is? a far wa unto =m? house.I am sick.

*h do ou not go to the great phsician,ecause I have no mone I can)t go

,elgrade =is? si+ miles of land from Colosvar- there is m son./a %od help the gentlemen that the let me out =from? in the

 prison.&n the tree =is? the nest of the bird! where makes eggs the female

 bird.*here is our house4

In the black mountain! there is m house- come brother with me- letus go to m house.

In the ear =are? two seasons! the winter and summer.The cloud gives the rain! and puffs =forth? the wind.

, m %od I love much that gentleman $ a good man he! anEnglishman! but he speaks 1ungarian- he came =HB? hither in a

waggon with three horses! he sits here out in the wilderness- =H?with a pencil in his hand he writes in a book. 1e has a green hat

and a big beard.

8&CA,37AR &F T1EIR 7A0%3A%E

KThis section of the book could not be transcribed as it contained

man non$european languagesL

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the 1ol Church Catholic and Apostolic! the communion of thesaints! the remission of the sins! the re$birth of the flesh! and

the life everlasting. $ Amen! ;esus.

&CA0A;I/IA A 7A 5E,7A N PRAER T& T1E 8IR%I0

& 5ebla 'uirindia! 5a de saros los ,ordeles on coin panchabo" perlos du'uipenes sos na'uelastes a or pindre de la tre(ul de tute

Chaborro ma(arolisimo te manguelo! 5ebla! me alcorabises de tutechaborro or estormen de sares las do(is cre(etes sos menda

udicare a'uerao on andoba surdete. $ Anarania! Teble'ue.

&stebe te berarbe &stelinda: perdoripe sirles de sardana- or Eranosin sartute- bresban tute sirles enrre sares las rumiles! bresban

sin or fru(ero de tute po. $ Teble'ue.

/an(ari &stelinda! da de &stebe! brichardila per gaberescre(etaores aocana on la ocana de nonrra beriben: $ Anarania!

Teble'ue.

Chimuclani or ,ato! or Chabal! or Chanispero man(aro- sata sia onor presimelo! aocana! ga(eres" on los sicles de los sicles. $

Anarania.

& most hol 8irgin! /other of all the Christians in whom I believe-for the agon which thou didst endure at the foot of the cross of

th most blessed #on! I entreat thee! 8irgin! that thou wilt obtainfor me! from th #on! the remission of all the crimes and sins

which I ma have committed in this world. $ Amen! ;esus.

%od save thee! /aria: full art thou of grace- the 7ord is with

thee- blessed art thou amongst all women! and blessed is the fruitof th womb. $ ;esus.

1ol /aria! mother of %od! pra for us sinners! now and in the hourof our death: $ Amen! ;esus.

%lor =to? the Father! the #on! =and? the 1ol %host- as was in the

 beginning! now! and for ever" in the ages of the ages. $ Amen.

&R CRE5& N T1E CREE5

#ARTA 7& C1I,E7AR&0 7&# CA7E# 5E C&R5&8ATI N TRA0#7ATE5 , T1E%#PIE# &F C&R5&8A

Pachabelo en 3n$debel batu tosaro$baro! 'ue ha 'uerdi el char lachi'ue- en 3n$debel chinoro su unico chaboro erano de amangue!

'ue chalo en el trupo de la /a(ari por el 5u'uende /a(oro! abiodel veo de la /a(ari- guillo curado deba(o de la sila de Pontio

Pilato el chinobaro- guillo mulo garabado- se chale a las (acharis- al trin chibe se ha sicobado de los mules al char- sinela

 be(ado a las baste de 3n$debel barrea- de ote abiara a (u<gar a

los mules a los 'ue no lo sinelan- pachabelo en el /a(aro- laCangri /a(ari barea- el (alar de los /a(aries- lo meco de los

grecos- la resureccion de la maas! la ochi 'ue no marela.

I believe in %od the Father all$great! who has made the heaven andthe earth- and in %od the oung! his onl #on! the 7ord of us! who

went into the bod of the blessed =maid? b =means of? the 1ol

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%host! and came out of the womb of the blessed- he was tormented beneath the power of Pontius Pilate! the great Algua<il- was dead

and buried- he went =down? to the fires- on the third da he raisedhimself from the dead unto the heaven- he is seated at the ma(or

hand of %od- and from thence he shall come to (udge the dead andthose who are not =dead?. I believe in the blessed one- in the

church hol and great- the ban'uet of the saints- the remission of

sins- the resurrection of the flesh! and the life which does notdie.

RE;E7E05RE# N PR&8ER,#

&r soscabela (uco terable garipe no le sin perfine anelarrelichi.

,us es manupe cha machagarno le pendan chuchipon los brochabos.#acais sos ne dicobelan calochin ne brida'uelan.

Coin terelare trasardos e dinastes nasti le buchare berrandanas ades'uero conti'ue.

&n sares las cachimanes de #ersen abillen reches.,us mola es chirriclo on la ba sos gres balogando.

A &stebe brichardilando sar or mochi'ue dinelando.,us mola 'uesar (ero de gabuno sos manpori de bombardo.

5icar panchabar! sata penda /an(aro 7illar.&r esor(ie de or narsichisle sin chismar lachinguel.

7as 'ueles mistos grobelas" per macara chibel la piri de rachila operisa.

Aunsos me dicas vriardao de (orpo ne sirlo braco.Chachipe con (u(ana $ Cal<ones de buchi medias de lana.

Chu'uel sos pirela cocal terela.7en sos sonsi bela pani o reblandani terela.

1e who is lean and has scabs needs not carr a net. =HG?*hen a man goes drunk the bos sa to him )suet.) =HH?

Ees which see not break no heart.

1e who has a roof of glass let him not fling stones at hisneighbour.

Into all the taverns of #pain ma reeds come.A bird in the hand is worth more than a hundred fling.

To %od =be? praing and with the flail pling.It is worth more to be the head of a mouse than the tail of a lion.

To see and to believe! as #aint Thomas sas.The e+treme =>? of a dwarf is to spit largel.

1ouses well managed"$ at mid$da the stew$pan! =>>? and at nightsalad.

Although thou seest me dressed in wool I am no sheep.Truth with falsehood$,reeches of silk and stockings of *ool. =>@?

The dog who walks finds a bone.The river which makes a noise =>B? has either water or stones.

&5&RE# E TI7IC1E N T1E 7&8ER)# ;EA7&3#

5ica Calli sos linastes terelas! plasarandote misto men calochindes'uinao de trinchas punis canrrias! sata an(ella terelaba

dicando on los chorres na'uelos sos me tesumiaste! andial reutila

a men ;eli! dinela gao a sos menda orobibele- men puni sin trincha

 per la 'uimbila nevel de es manu barbalo- sos saro se muca per or (andorro. 7o sos bus pre(eno Calli de los ,engorros sin sos numu'ueis per es manu barbalo. . . . &n tute orchiri nu chismo!

tramisto on coin te ara'uera! sos menda terela men nostus pa avel

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sos me camela bus sos tute.

Reflect! & Callee: =>? what motives hast thou =now that m heartis doting on thee! having rested awhile from so man cares and

griefs which formerl it endured! beholding the evil passages whichthou preparedst for me-? to recede thus from m love! giving

occasion to me to weep. / agon is great on account of th recent

ac'uaintance with a rich man- for ever thing is abandoned formone)s sake. *hat I most feel! & Callee! of the devils is! thatthou abandonest me for a rich man . . . I spit upon th beaut! and

also upon him who converses with thee! for I keep m mone foranother who loves me more than thou.

&R PER#I,ARAR#E #I0 C1&R& N T1E E8I7# &F C&0C3,I0A%E

%a(eres sin corbo rifian soscabar es manu persibarao! per sos saro

se linbidian odoros beslli! per esegriton apuchelan on sardanade saros los ,en(es! techescando gre(os ola(ais $ de sustiri sos

lo resaronomo ni'uilla murmo- andial lo fendi sos terelamos de'uerar sin techescarle es sulibari a or ;eli! ne panchabar on

caute manusardi! persos trutan a es'ue lili.

It is alwas a strange danger for a man to live in concubinage! because all turns to (ealous and 'uarrelling! and at last the

live in the favour of all the devils! voiding oaths and curses" sothat what is cheap turns out dear. #o the best we can do! is to

cast a bridle on love! and trust to no woman! for the =>D? make aman mad.

7&# C1&RE# N T1E R&,,ER#

&n gre(elo chiro begoreo es'ue berbanilla de chores a la burda de

es mostipelo a oleba rachi $ Andial sos la pre(enaron los cambrais presimelaron a cobadrar- sar andoba linaste changano or lanbro! se

sustino de la charipe de lapa! utilo la pusca! ni'uillo platanando per or plates'uero de or mostipelo a la burda sos

socabelaba pandi! per or (obi de la clichi chibelo or (undro dela pusca! le dino pes'uibo a or langute! le sumu'uelo es

 bruchasno on la tes'uera a or ;o(erian de los ostilaores lotechesco de or grate a ostele. Andial sos los debus 'uimbilos

dicobelaron a des'uero ;o(erian on chen sar las canrriales de la,eriben! lo chibelaron espusifias a los grastes! ni'uillaron

chapescando! trutando la romu apala! per bausale de las machas oalmedalles de liripio.

&n a certain time arrived a band of thieves at the gate of a farm$

house at midnight. #o soon as the dogs heard them the began to bark! which causing =>? the labourer to awake! he raised himself

from his bed with a start! took his musket! and went running to thecourt$ard of the farm$house to the gate! which was shut! placed

the barrel of his musket to the kehole! gave his finger its

desire! =>? and sent a bullet into the forehead of the captain ofthe robbers! casting him down from his horse. #oon as the other

fellows saw their captain on the ground in the agonies of death!

the clapped spurs to their horses! and galloped off fleeing!

turning their faces back on account of the flies =>G? or almondsof lead.

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C&T&R E %A,IC&TE /A;AR& N #PECI/E0 &F T1E %&#PE7&R #&# #AR& 7& 1A C1I,A5& E0 C1IPE CA77I &R RA05A5&R 5E &C&0&#

PAPIRI# A30#&# 0AR5IA0 7& 1A 5I0A5& A7 #3R5ETE.FR&/ T1E A3T1&R)# 30P3,7I#1E5 TRA0#7ATI&0 &F T1E 0E* TE#TA/E0T

soscabando dicando dico los ,arbalos sos techescaban des'ueros

mansis on or %a<ofilacio- dico tramisto es'ue pispirichachorrorita! sos techescaba duis chinorris saraballis! penelo" enchachipe os penelo! sos caba chorrorri pispiricha a techescao bus

sos sares los aveles" persos saros ondobas han techescao per losmansis de &stebe! de lo sos les costuna- bus caba e des'uero

chorrorri a techescao saro or susalo sos terelaba. pendo a

cormunis! sos pendaban del cangaripe! soscabelaba uriardao de

orchiris berrandanas! de denes" Cabas buchis sos dicais!abillaran chibeles! bus ne mu'uelara berrandana costune berrandana!

sos ne 'uesesa demarabea. le prucharon pendaron" 5ocurdo! bus'uesa ondoba4 sos simachi abicara bus ondoba presimare4 &ndole

 penclo" 5icad! sos nasti 'ueseis (on(abaos- persos butes abillaranon men acnao! pendando" man sirlo! or chiro soscabela pa(es"

%arabaos de guillelar apala! de ondolaos" bus (unureis barganas sustines! ne os espa(ueis- persos sin perfine sos ondoba chundee

 brotobo! bus nasti 'uesa escotria or egresiton. &clinde les pendaba" se sustinara sueste sartra sueste! sichen sartra

sichen! abicara bareles da(iros de chenes per los gaos! retre'ues bocatas! abicara buchengeres espa(uis! bareles

simachis de otarpe" bus an(ella de saro ondoba os sinastraran  preguillaran! enregandoos a la #ocreteria! los ostardos! os

legeraran a los &claes! a los ,a'uedunis! per men acnao" ondoba os chundeara on chachipe. Terelad pus sera(i on bros

garlochines de ne orobrar an(ella sata abicais de brudilar! persosman os dinare rotuni chanar! la sos ne asislaran resistir ne

sartra pendar satos bros enormes. 'uesareis enregaos de bros

 batos! opranos! sastris! monrrores! 'ueraran merar acormuni de averes- os cangelaran saros per men acnao- bus ne

car(ibara ies bal de bros (eros. #ar bras opachirima avelareis

 bras orchis" pus bus dicareis a ;erusalen relli! oclinde chanadsos! des'uero petra soscabela pa(es- oclinde los soscabelan on la

Chutea! chapesguen a los tober$(elis- los 'ue on macara deondolaa! ni'uillense- lo sos on los oltari'ues! nasti enrren on

ondolaa- persos ondoba sen chibeles de Abilla<a! pa sos chundeensares las buchis soscabelan libanas- bus isna de las araris! de

las sos dinan de oropielar on asirios chibeles- persos abicara bare'uichartura costune la chen! e guillara pa andoba %ao- petraran a

surabi de (anrro- 'uesan legeraos sinastros a sares las chenes! ;erusalen 'uesa omana de los suestiles! sasta sos 'ue(esen los

chiros de las sichenes- abicara simaches on or orcan! on lachimutia! on las uchurganis- on la chen chalabeo on la suete

 per or dan sos bausalara la loria des$'ueros gulas- mu'uelandolos romares bifaos per da(iralo de las buchis sos costune abillaran

a saro or surdete- persos los solares de los otarpes 'uesan sar$chalabeaos- oclinde dicaran a or Chaboro e /anu abillar costune

es'ue minrricla sar baro asislar Chimusolano" bus presimelarena chundear caba buchis! dicad! sustinad bros (eros! persos pa(es

soscabela bras redencion.

And whilst looking he saw the rich who cast their treasures into

the treasur- and he saw also a poor widow! who cast two small

coins! and he said" In truth I tell ou! that this poor widow has

cast more than all the others- because all those have cast! asofferings to %od! from that which to them abounded- but she fromher povert has cast all the substance which she had. And he said

to some! who said of the temple! that it was adorned with fair

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stones! and with gifts" These things which e see! das shallcome! when stone shall not remain upon stone! which shall not be

demolished. And the asked him and said" /aster! when shall this be4 and what sign shall there be when this begins4 1e said" #ee!

that e be not deceived! because man shall come in m name!saing" I am =he?! and the time is near" beware e of going after

them" and when e shall hear =of? wars and revolts do not fear!

 because it is needful that this happen first! for the end shall not be immediatel. Then he said to them" 0ation shall rise againstnation! and countr against countr! and there shall be great

tremblings of earth among the towns! and pestilences and famines-and there shall be frightful things! and great signs in the heaven"

 but before all this the shall make e captive! and shall

 persecute! delivering e over to the snagogue! and prisons- and

the shall carr e to the kings! and the governors! on account ofm name" and this shall happen to ou for truth. 9eep then firm

in our hearts! not to think before how e have to answer! for Iwill give ou mouth and wisdom! which all our enemies shall not be

able to resist! or contradict. And e shall be delivered over bour fathers! and brothers! and relations! and friends! and the

shall put to death some of ou- and all shall hate ou for m name- but not one hair of our heads shall perish. *ith our patience e

shall possess our souls" but when e shall see ;erusalemsurrounded! then know that its fall is near- then those who are in

;udea! let them escape to the mountains- and those who are in themidst of her! let them go out- and those who are in the fields! let

them not enter into her- because those are das of vengeance! thatall the things which are written ma happen- but alas to the

 pregnant and those who give suck in those das! for there shall begreat distress upon the earth! and it shall move onward against

this people- and the shall fall b the edge of the sword- and theshall be carried captive to all the countries! and ;erusalem shall

 be trodden b the nations! until are accomplished the times of the

nations- and there shall be signs in the sun! and in the moon! andin the stars- and in the earth trouble of nations from the fear

which the sea and its billows shall cause- leaving men fro<en with

terror of the things which shall come upon all the world- becausethe powers of the heavens shall be shaken- and then the shall see

the #on of /an coming upon a cloud with great power and glor"when these things begin to happen! look e! and raise our heads!

for our redemption is near.

T1E E0%7I#1 5IA7ECT &F T1E R&//A0

)TAC1IPE0 if I (aw )doi! I can lel a bit of tan to hatch" 0)etistI shan)t puch kekomi wafu gorgies.)

The above sentence! dear reader! I heard from the mouth of /r.

Petulengro! the last time that he did me the honour to visit me atm poor house! which was the da after /ol$divvus! =>H? >G@" he

staed with me during the greatest part of the morning! discoursing

on the affairs of Egpt! the aspect of which! he assured me! was becoming dail worse and worse. )There is no living for the poor

 people! brother!) said he! )the chok$engres =police? pursue us from

 place to place! and the gorgios are become either so poor or

miserl! that the grudge our cattle a bite of grass b the waside! and ourselves a ard of ground to light a fire upon. 3nlesstimes alter! brother! and of that I see no probabilit! unless ou

are made either poknees or mecralliskoe geiro =(ustice of the peace

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or prime minister?! I am afraid the poor persons will have to giveup wandering altogether! and then what will become of them4

)1owever! brother!) he continued! in a more cheerful tone! )I am no

hindit mush! =>>? as ou well know. I suppose ou have notforgot how! fifteen ears ago! when ou made horse$shoes in the

little dingle b the side of the great north road! I lent ou fift

cottors =>>>? to purchase the wonderful trotting cob of theinnkeeper with the green 0ewmarket coat! which three das after ousold for two hundred.

)*ell! brother! if ou had wanted the two hundred! instead of the

fift! I could have lent them to ou! and would have done so! for I

knew ou would not be long pa<orrhus to me. I am no hindit mush!

 brother! no Irishman- I laid out the other da twent pounds in buing rupenoe peam$engries- =>>@? and in the Chong$gav! =>>B? have

a house of m own with a ard behind it.

)A05! F&R#&&T1! IF I %& T1IT1ER! I CA0 C1&&#E A P7ACE T& 7I%1T AFIRE 3P&0! A05 #1A77 1A8E 0& 0ECE##IT T& A#9 7EA8E &F T1E#E 1ERE

%E0TI7E#.)

*ell! dear reader! this last is the translation of the %pssentence which heads the chapter! and which is a ver

characteristic specimen of the general wa of speaking of theEnglish %psies.

The language! as the generall speak it! is a broken (argon! in

which few of the grammatical peculiarities of the Romman are to bedistinguished. In fact! what has been said of the #panish %ps

dialect holds good with respect to the English as commonl spoken"et the English dialect has in realit suffered much less than the

#panish! and still retains its original snta+ to a certain e+tent!

its peculiar manner of con(ugating verbs! and declining nouns and pronouns. I must! however! 'ualif this last assertion! b

observing that in the genuine Romman there are no prepositions!

 but! on the contrar! post$positions- now! in the case of theEnglish dialect! these post$positions have been lost! and their

want! with the e+ception of the genitive! has been supplied withEnglish prepositions! as ma be seen b a short e+ample"$

1ungarian %ps.=>>? English %ps. English.;ob ow 1e

7este 7este &f him7as 7as To him

7es 7os 1im7ester From leste From him

7eha *ith leste *ith him

P73RA7.

1ungarian %ps English %ps. English;ole aun The

7ente 7ente &f them

7en 7en To them7en 7en Them

7ender From 7ende From them

The following comparison of words selected at random from theEnglish and #panish dialects of the Romman will! perhaps! not beuninteresting to the philologist or even to the general reader.

Could a doubt be at present entertained that the %ps language is

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virtuall the same in all parts of the world where it is spoken! Iconceive that such a vocabular would at once remove it.

  English %ps. #panish %ps.Ant Cria Crianse

,read /orro /anro

Cit Forus Foros5ead /ulo /uloEnough 5osta 5osta

Fish /atcho /acho%reat ,oro ,aro

1ouse 9er uer 

Iron #aster #as

9ing 9rallis Cralis7ove=I? Camova Camelo

/oon Tchun Chimutra 0ight Rarde Rati

&nion Purrum PorumiaPoison 5rav 5rao

uick #ig #igoRain ,rishindo ,re(indal

#unda 9ooroke Cur'ueTeeth 5anor 5ani

8illage %av %ao*hite Pauno Parno

es Avali 3ngale

As specimens of how the English dialect mabe written! thefollowing translations of the 7ord)s Praer and ,elief will perhaps

suffice.

T1E 7&R5)# PRAER 

/ir dad! odoi opre adre tiro tatcho tan- /edeveleskoe si tironav- awel tiro tem! be kairdo tiro lav acoi dre pov sa odoi adre

kosgo tan" de mande ke$divvus mir dir morro! ta fordel man sorso me pa<<orrus tute! sa me fordel sor so wavior mushor pa<<orrus

amande- ma riggur man adre kek dosch! le man abri sor wafodu-tiro se o tem! tiro or <oo<li$wast! tiro or corauni! kanaw ta ever$

komi. Avali. Tatchipen.

7ITERA7 TRA0#7ATI&0

/ Father! onder up within th good place- god$like be th name-come th kingdom! be done th word here in earth as onder in good

 place. %ive to me to$da m dear bread! and forgive me all that Iam indebted to thee! as I forgive all that other men are indebted

to me- not lead me into an ill- take me out =of? all evil- thineis the kingdom! thine the strong hand! thine the crown! now and

evermore. ea. Truth.

T1E ,E7IEF

/e apasavenna dre mi$dovvel! 5ad soro$ruslo! savo kedas charvus ta pov" apasavenna dre olescro eck chavo moro arauno Christos! lias

medeveleskoe ,aval$engro! beano of wendror of medeveleskoe gair

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/ar" kurredo tule me$cralliskoe geiro Pontius Pilaten wast-nasko pre rukh! moreno! chivios adre o hev- (as ov tule o kalo

dron ke wafudo tan! bengeskoe stariben- (ongorasa o trito divvus!atchasa opre to tatcho tan! /i$dovvels kair- bestela kanaw odoi pre

/i$dovvels tacho wast 5ad soro$boro- ava sig to lel shoonaben opremestepen and merripen. Apasa$venna en develeskoe ,aval$engro- ,oro

develeskoe congri! develeskoe pios of sore tacho fok kettene!

soror wafudu$penes fordias! soror mulor (ongorella! kek merellaapopli. Avali! palor.

7ITERA7 TRA0#7ATI&0

I believe in m %od! Father all powerful! who made heaven andearth- I believe in his one #on our 7ord Christ! conceived b 1ol

%host! =>>? born of bowels of 1ol 8irgin /ar! beaten under theroal governor Pontius Pilate)s hand- hung on a tree! slain! put

into the grave- went he down the black road to bad place! thedevil)s prison- he awaked the third da! ascended up to good place!

m %od)s house- sits now there on m %od)s right hand Father$all$ powerful- shall come soon to hold (udgment over life and death. I

 believe in 1ol %host- %reat 1ol Church! 1ol festival of all good people together! all sins forgiveness! that all dead arise! no more

die again. ea! brothers.

#PECI/E0 &F A #&0% I0 T1E 837%AR &R ,R&9E0 R&//A0

As I was a (awing to the gav eck divvus!I met on the dron miro Romman chi"

I puch)d oi whether she com sar mande-

And she penn)d" tu si wafo Romman!

And I penn)d! I shall ker tu miro tacho Romman!

Fornigh tute but dui chave"/ethinks I)ll cam tute for miro merripen!

If tu but pen! thou wilt commo sar mande.

TRA0#7ATI&0

&ne da as I was going to the village!I met on the road m Romman lass"

I ask)d her whether she would come with me!And she said thou hast another wife.

I said! I will make thee m lawful wife!

,ecause thou hast but two children-/ethinks I will love thee until m death!

If thou but sa thou wilt come with me.

/an other specimens of the English %ps muse might be here

adduced- it is probable! however! that the above will have fullsatisfied the curiosit of the reader. It has been inserted here

for the purpose of showing that the %psies have songs in their own

language! a fact which has been denied. In its metre it resembles

the ancient #clavonian ballads! with which it has another featurein common $ the absence of rhme.

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Footnotes"

=>? 3ARTER7 RE8IE*! 5ec. >G@

=@? E5I0,3R%1 RE8IE*! Feb. >GB.

=B? E2A/I0ER! 5ec. >! >G@.

=? #PECTAT&R! 5ec. ! >G@.

=D? Thou speakest well! brother:

=? This is 'uite a mistake" I know ver little of what has beenwritten concerning these people" even the work of %rellmann had

not come beneath m perusal at the time of the publication of thefirst edition &F T1E 6I0CA7I! which I certainl do not regret" for

though I believe the learned %erman to be 'uite right in his theorwith respect to the origin of the %psies! his ac'uaintance with

their character! habits! and peculiarities! seems to have beene+tremel limited.

=? %ood da.

=G? %landered horse.

=H? Two brothers.

=>? The edition here referred to has long since been out of print.

=>>? It ma not be amiss to give the etmolog of the word engro!

which so fre'uentl occurs in compound words in the English %ps

tongue"$ the E0 properl belongs to the preceding noun! being oneof the forms of the genitive case- for e+ample! Elik$E0 boro

congr! the great Church or Cathedral of El- the %R& or %EIR&

=#panish %3ER&?! is the #anscrit 9AR! a particle much used in thatlanguage in the formation of compounds- I need scarcel add that

/&0%ER in the English words Costermonger! Ironmonger! etc.! isderived from the same root.

=>@? For the knowledge of this fact I am indebted to the well$known

and enterprising traveller! /r. 8igne! whose highl interestingwork on Cashmire and the Pan(ab re'uires no recommendation from me.

=>B? %orgio =#panish %AC1&?! a man who is not a %ps" the #panish

%psies term the %entiles ,usne! the meaning of which word will bee+plained farther on.

=>? An Eastern image tantamount to the taking awa of life.

=>D? %entes non multum morigeratae! sed 'uasi bruta animalia et

furentes. #ee vol. ++ii. of the #upplement to the works of/uratori! p. GH.

=>? As 'uoted b 1ervas" CATA7&%& 5E 7A# 7E0%3A#! vol. iii. p.B.

=>? *e have found this beautiful metaphor both in %ps and

#panish- it runs thus in the former language"$

)7A# /3C1I#. =The #parks.?

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),us de gres chabalas orchiris man di'ue a es chiro purelarsistilias sata ru(ias! or sisli car(ibal dinando trutas

discandas.

=>G? In the above little tale the writer confesses that there areman things purel imaginar- the most material point! however! the

attempt to sack the town during the pestilence! which was defeated

 b the courage and activit of an individual! rests on historicalevidence the most satisfactor. It is thus mentioned in the workof Francisco de Cordova =he was surnamed Cordova from having been

for man ears canon in that cit?"$

)Annis praeteritis Iuliobrigam urbem! vulgo 7ogrono! pestilenti

laborantem morbo! et hominibus vacuam invadere hi ac diripere

tentarunt! perfecissent'ue ni 5ens &. /. cuiusdam ,I,7I&P&7AEopera! in corum! capita! 'uam urbi moliebantur perniciem

avertisset.) 5I5A#CA7IA! 7ugduni! >>D! I vol. G8&. p. D! cap.D.

=>H? et notwithstanding that we refuse credit to these particular

narrations of uinones and Fa(ardo! acts of cannibalism macertainl have been perpetrated b the %itanos of #pain in ancient

times! when the were for the most part semi$savages living amongstmountains and deserts! where food was hard to be procured" famine

ma have occasionall compelled them to pre on human flesh! as ithas in modern times compelled people far more civilised than

wandering %psies.

=@? England.

=@>? #pain.

=@@? /IT1RI5ATE#" erster Theil! s. @>.

=@B? Torreblanca" 5E /A%IA! >G.

=@? E+odus! chap. +iii. v. H. )And it shall be for a sign untothee upon th hand.) Eng. Trans.

=@D? 0o chapter in the book of ;ob contains an such verse.

=@? )And the children of Israel went out with an high hand.)

E+odus! chap. +iv. v. G. Eng. Trans.

=@? 0o such verse is to be found in the book mentioned.

=@G? Prov.! chap. vii. vers. >>! >@. )#he is loud and stubborn-her feet abide not in her house. 0ow is she without! now in the

streets! and lieth in wait at ever corner.) Eng. Trans.

=@H? 1I#T&RIA 5E A7&0#&! /&6& 5E /3C1&# A/&#" or! the stor ofAlonso! servant of man masters- an entertaining novel! written in

the seventeenth centur! b %eronimo of Alcala! from which somee+tracts were given in the first edition of the present work.

=B? & Ali: & /ahomet: $ %od is %od: $ A Turkish war$cr.

=B>? %en. +li+. @@.

=B@? In the original there is a pla on words. $ It is notnecessar to enter into particulars farther than to observe that inthe 1ebrew language )ain) means a well! and likewise an ee.

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 purposes.

=G? &f all these! the most terrible! and whose swa endured forthe longest period! were the /ongols! as the were called" few!

however! of his original /ongolian warriors followed Timour in theinvasion of India. 1is armies latterl appear to have consisted

chiefl of Turcomans and Persians. It was to obtain popularit

amongst these soldier that he abandoned his old religion! a kindof fetish! or sorcer! and became a /ahometan.

=H? As 'uoted b Adelung! /IT1RI5ATE#! vol. i.

=? /ithridates.

=? For e+ample! in the 1I#T&RIA 5E 7&# %ITA0&#! of which we havehad occasion to speak in the first part of the present work"

amongst other things the author sas! p. HD! )If there e+ist ansimilitude of customs between the %itanos and the %psies! the

6igeuners! the 6ingari! and the ,ohemians! the =the %itanos?cannot! however! be confounded with these nomad castes! nor the

same origin be attributed to them- . . . all that we shall find incommon between these people will be! that the one =the %psies!

etc.? arrived fugitives from the heart of Asia b the steppes ofTartar! at the beginning of the fifteenth centur! while the

%itanos! descended from the Arab or /orisco tribes! came from thecoast of Africa as con'uerors at the beginning of the eighth.)

1e gets rid of an evidence with respect to the origin of the

%itanos which their language might be capable of affording in thefollowing summar manner" )As to the particular (argon which the

use! an investigation which people might pretend to make would be'uite useless- in the first place! on account of the reserve which

the e+hibit on this point- and secondl! because! in the event of

some being found sufficientl communicative! the information whichthe could impart would lead to no advantageous result! owing to

their e+treme ignorance.)

It is scarcel worth while to offer a remark on reasoning which

could onl emanate from an understanding of the ver lowest order!$ so the %itanos are so e+tremel ignorant! that however frank the

might wish to be! the would be unable to tell the curious in'uirerthe names for bread and water! meat and salt! in their own peculiar

tongue $ for! assuredl! had the sense enough to afford thatslight 'uantum of information! it would lead to two ver

advantageous results! b proving! first! that the spoke the samelanguage as the %psies! etc.! and were conse'uentl the same

 people $ and secondl! that the came not from the coast of 0orthern Africa! where onl Arabic and #hillah are spoken! but from

the heart of Asia! three words of the four being pure #anscrit.

=@? As given in the /IT1RI5ATE# of Adelung.

=B? Possibl from the Russian ,&7&##! which has the samesignification.

=? ,as'ue! ,3R3A.

=D? #anscrit! #C1IRRA.

=? These two words! which 1ervas supposes to be Italian used inan improper sense! are probabl of 'uite another origin. 7E0! in%itano! signifies )river!) whilst 8A5I in Russian is e'uivalent to

water.

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=? It is not our intention to wear the reader with proli+

specimens- nevertheless! in corroboration of what we have asserted!we shall take the libert of offering a few. Piar! to drink! =p.

>GG!? is #anscrit! PIA8A. ,asilea! gallows! =p. >DG!? is Russian!,ECI7IT6. Caramo! wine! and gurapo! galle! =pp. >@! >!?

Arabic! 1ARA/ =which literall signifies that which is forbidden?

and %RA,. I<a! =p. >H!? harlot! Turkish! 9I6E. 1arton! bread!=p. >!? %reek! ART&#. %uido! good! and hurgamandera! harlot!=pp. >! >G!? %erman! %3T and 13RE. Tiple! wine! =p. >H!? is

the same as the English word tipple! %ps! TAPI77AR.

=G? This word is pure *allachian =K%reek te+t which cannot be

reproducedL?! and was brought b the %psies into England- it means

)boot!) or what is called in the present cant language! )swag.)The %psies call boot )louripen.)

=H? Christmas! literall *ine$da.

=G? Irishman or beggar! literall a dirt s'ualid person.

=G>? %uineas.

=G@? #ilver teapots.

=GB? The %ps word for a certain town.

=G? In the #panish %ps version! )our bread of each da.)

=GD? #pan.! )forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.)

=G? Eng.! )all evil FR&/)- #pan.! )from all ugliness.)

=G? #pan.! )for thine.)

=GG? , 1ungar is here meant not onl 1ungar proper! but

Translvania.

=GH? 1ow man das made come the gentleman hither.

=H? 1ow man$ear fellow are ou.

=H>? &f a grosh.

=H@? / name shall be to ou for /oses m brother.

=HB? Comes.

=H? Empt place.

=HD? 8. CA#I0&,E0 in 7e+icon.

=H? , these two words! Pontius Pilate is represented! but whencethe are derived I know not.

=H? Reborn.

=HG? Povert is alwas avoided.

=HH? A drunkard reduces himself to the condition of a hog.

=>? The most he can do.

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=>>? The puchero! or pan of gla<ed earth! in which bacon! beef!and garban<os are stewed.

=>@? Truth contrasts strangel with falsehood- this is a genuine

%ps proverb! as are the two which follow- it is repeatedthroughout #pain *IT1&3T ,EI0% 305ER#T&&5.

=>B? In the original *EAR# A /&3T1- the meaning is! ask nothing!gain nothing.

=>? Female %ps!

=>D? *omen 305ER#T&&5.

=>? *ith that motive awoke the labourer. &RI%.

=>? %ave its pleasure to the finger! I.E. his finger was itchingto draw the trigger! and he humoured it.

=>G? The feared the shot and slugs! which are compared! and not

 badl! to flies and almonds.

=>H? Christmas! literall *ine$da.

=>>? Irishman or beggar! literall a dirt s'ualid person.

=>>>? %uineas.

=>>? #ilver tea$pots.